Queen Camilla slammed for meeting JK Rowling as 'shameless' detail sparks backlash

Buckingham Palace has faced backlash after Queen Camilla met with controversial author JK Rowling during Holyrood week.

The Queen, 78, welcomed the Harry Potter writer to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on Tuesday (30 June), to discuss the importance of young people having access to books.

The pair were pictured smiling side by side in a photo shared to the monarch’s official social media accounts.

The caption read: "With a shared passion for books and a deep commitment to children reading for pleasure, The Queen and author J.K. Rowling have met at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.

"Her Majesty and Ms Rowling discussed the importance of ensuring that young people have access to books and the vital part reading plays in opening doors for future generations."

However, the post has ignited a flurry of outrage as JK Rowling has become known in recent years for her outspoken views on the transgender community, and has previously been accused of transphobia for her views on gender identity, which she denies.

Not only this, but the meet-up took place on the last day of Pride Month - a global celebration of LGBTQ+ culture, identity, and history, primarily observed every June.

One X user penned: "There are SO many authors in the UK. Why would you select the one who wants to deny young people access to life-saving health care?"

A second wrote: "You do realize she has some pretty disgusting views about transgender people?"

Another pointed out: "Tweeting this on the last day of Pride/ during Princess Diana’s birthday is shameless."

While someone else penned: "As someone who admires the Queen and loves her Reading Room, I’m very disappointed to see JKR being given a platform, especially during Pride Month.

"There are so many people doing incredible work to encourage children and young people to read who could have been featured instead."

What has JK Rowling said about transgender people?

The controversy began in June 2020 when Rowling tweeted an opinion piece that discussed 'c, taking issue with the word ‘women’ not being used.

Not long after, she published a lengthy essay going into her views in more detail and sent out a tweet that read 'TERF Wars', which is an acronym that stands for trans-exclusionary radical feminist.

She claimed she's 'worried about the new trans activism', as well as 'the huge explosion in young women wishing to transition and also about the increasing numbers who seem to be detransitioning'.

Rowling also argued against throwing 'open the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to any man who believes or feels he's a woman'.

As well as continuing to share her views, the author went on to tweet in 2024: "There are no trans kids. No child is 'born in the wrong body'. There are only adults like you, prepared to sacrifice the health of minors to bolster your belief in an ideology."

Just last year, she supported the campaign group For Women Scotland (FWS), which brought a series of legal challenges over the legal definition of a 'woman'.

Her comments have continually sparked outrage among the LGBTQ+ community and beyond, including from Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson.

Tyla has contacted Buckingham Palace for comment.