April 30, 2026, 8:58 PM EDT. Queen Camilla shared touching memories of her childhood during a visit to the New York Public Library, discussing how her late father, Major Bruce Shand, fostered her love of reading by reading bedtime stories, including works by A.A. Milne. The British royal credited these early experiences with inspiring her 2020 literary charity, The Queen's Reading Room, aimed at promoting literature during challenging times. Camilla split her childhood between a London home in South Kensington and The Laines, an 18th-century Grade II-listed country estate in Plumpton, Sussex, purchased by her parents post-World War II. The estate's historical significance and her family's connection add depth to her personal story, shared during the royal U.S. tour's final events in New York City.