Queen Camilla could become the royal family's first TikTok influencer as the chief executive of her Queen's Reading Room charity has said she wouldn't rule out joining the social media app to engage with literary fans and a content segment known as "BookTok."
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Vicki Perrin, said that she wouldn't discount TikTok as a future way for the charity which began life as a book club started by Camilla during the COVID pandemic in 2021, to connect with more readers.
"Never say never. I've been so pleased at seeing how BookTok has exploded," she said. "To my mind, there's nothing more important than trying to get the message across that books are for everyone."
"For us, it doesn't matter what you read," Perrin said. "I think BookTok has done such an amazing thing in breaking down some of those barriers, and whether we'll end up there, who knows, watch this space."
So far, like the royal family accounts themselves, the Queen's Reading Room regularly posts content across Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, but has yet to join TikTok which cultivates a large percentage of users in the 18 to 25 age demographic, more commonly grouped as Gen-Z.
Much of the content currently produced by the reading room features Camilla in some way, whether through video interviews or soundbites.
Newsweek approached Buckingham Palace via email for comment.
On whether the royals should be utilizing TikTok to reach young people and whether Camilla is best placed to do it, entertainment expert and founder of MarkMeets, Mark Boardman, told Newsweek that it was the "next logical step" in modernizing the monarchy's image.
"Her Majesty Queen Camilla is a passionate advocate for books, and in 2023, she even took a stand against the censorship of Roald Dahl's works. Through The Queen's Reading Room, she has made significant strides, regularly sharing her favorite reads and promoting the numerous benefits of reading," he said.
"As for whether she should join TikTok and become a 'book influencer,' this is an intriguing possibility.
"While she is currently committed to her daily duties alongside King Charles, besides and charity work, this could be made feasible with the support of a production company capable of managing the project. Given the high expectations for any royal content, particularly on a platform like TikTok, the content would need to be impeccably polished and well-thought-out."
The opportunity, he noted, could allow the monarchy to interact with young people in a more engaging and interesting way.
"To engage with a younger audience—especially BookTok followers—the queen could use TikTok as a platform to share her love of literature, offering deeper insights into what drives her passion for books. She might even reveal what King Charles enjoys reading, as the public rarely gets a glimpse into the personal hobbies of the royal family," Boardman said. "This kind of content would humanize them, making them more relatable and approachable, which is key to connecting with younger generations.
"For the royal family to remain relevant in the future, they must engage with new demographics, including Gen-Z. Connecting with them on platforms they frequent, such as TikTok, is an excellent way to show that the monarchy is in touch with modern culture and grounded in the everyday lives of the public."
This would ultimately recognize the way through which a growing majority of people engage with and consume information.
"Social media has become the dominant way people receive information, and the royal family is already present on most of the major platforms," Boardman concluded.
"In my view, creating TikTok content featuring royal family members would be the next logical step in rebranding their image and showing the world what they stand for, with a focus on enriching lives through education, culture, and tradition."
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
