Queen’s charity to explore the neuroscience behind being in a book club

The Queen’s Reading Room charity has unveiled plans for a major neuroscientific study into the impact of book clubs.

Camilla’s organisation, which began as an Instagram book club during lockdown, is set to examine the physiological and psychological effects of reading together in shared groups.

The laboratory-controlled investigation, led by Professor Sam Wass at the University of East London and in partnership with The Bentley Foundation, will look at how the collective experience of shared reading may transform lives by alleviating stress, forging stronger social bonds and improving wellbeing.

It follows neuroscience research by the charity in 2024 which revealed just five minutes of reading a work of fiction can immediately reduce stress by nearly 20%, and improve concentration and focus by as much as 11%.

It also suggested that those who read frequently are considerably less likely to feel lonely than those who do not.

Vicki Perrin, chief executive of The Queen’s Reading Room, said the new research would “go further, exploring what happens when people gather to share stories and connect over the pages of a book”.

Professor Wass said: “While previous research has shown the benefits of reading alone, far less is known about the impact of shared reading on stress, social connection and mental wellbeing.

“By applying rigorous neuroscientific methods to shared reading groups and book clubs, we aim to build a clearer evidence base for how these collective experiences shape connection and belonging.”

Camilla, an avid reader who has champions the importance of literacy, is celebrating The Queen’s Reading Room’s fifth anniversary in 2026.

The organisation’s motto for its birthday year is “Make Room for Reading”, with a drive to encourage people to find easy ways to fit in just five minutes of reading a day, just like 10,000 daily steps or five portions of fruit and vegetables.

The book project started life when Camilla shared a list of nine of her favourite books, which she previously described as being “literally scribbled on a piece of paper during the first lockdown” in 2020.

Her Reading Room book club officially launched on Instagram in January 2021, serving as a community space for book lovers, and became a charity in 2023.

The results are expected to be published by World Mental Health Day in October.