Queen reveals tough time with reading at night
In a comment that will resonate with many, Her Majesty, 77, said that these days, when she eventually falls into bed, she is so tired she cannot concentrate.
Asked at the final of a national writing competition whether she still found the time to read, the Queen replied: 'I do when I have a holiday.'
She added: 'I do try occasionally to read at night but I read two pages and fall asleep and have to start again.'
The Queen founded her own online book club, The Queen's Reading Room, and often campaigns on the power of literacy.
At the final of the BBC's annual 500 Words awards ceremony, held at Buckingham Palace, she hailed the young winners as the 'writers of the future'.
The ceremony celebrated the achievements of six winners across two age categories, five to seven and eight to 11, with recognition given to gold, silver, and bronze medalists in each group.
The Queen presented them with medals before they were escorted back to their seats by Gladiators Nitro, whose real name is Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, and Fire, real name Montell Douglas.
The young finalists had their entries read in the palace's ballroom by a group of celebrities, including Oscar-winning actress Olivia Colman, comedian Matt Lucas, McFly's Danny Jones and Tom Fletcher, actress Rose Ayling-Ellis, comic actor Rob Brydon and JLS's JB Gill.
The event took place earlier this month but was broadcast during a special episode of The One Show on Thursday to mark World Book Day.
The Queen fell in love with reading at a young age, inspiring a lifelong love of literature that she has partly attributed to Mark Shand, her late father, who frequently read to her.
She has visited schools and libraries, as well as workplaces and prisons to see the work of adult literacy schemes.
As Duchess of Cornwall, she became patron of several organisations which promote and support literacy including the National Literacy Trust, First Story, Coram Beanstalk and Booktrust.
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