Queen Camilla brought a touch of storybook magic to Ashdown Forest as she marked 100 years since the first Winnie-the-Pooh books were published, celebrating one of Britain’s most cherished literary worlds in the place that helped inspire it.
The Queen, who was making her first visit as patron of the Royal Literary Fund, arrived in East Sussex in a green leaf-patterned dress before meeting authors, schoolchildren, volunteers and staff connected to the much-loved woodland. The area is famously linked to A.A. Milne, whose walks through the forest with his son Christopher Robin helped shape the fictional Hundred Acre Wood.
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The Queen played poohsticks with children and authors including Gruffalo author Dame Julia Donaldson
The highlight of the visit came at Poohsticks Bridge, where Camilla joined a group of writers and guests for a game of poohsticks – the simple childhood race made famous in the books, where players drop twigs into the water and rush to the other side of the bridge to see whose stick appears first.
As she peered over the bridge, the Queen joked that her stick was ‘still going strong’. Sadly, it was not enough to win, but the cheerful moment captured the warmth and nostalgia of the day. Broadcaster Gyles Brandreth was also present, wearing a bright red Winnie-the-Pooh jumper that added an extra burst of colour to the occasion.
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Broadcaster Gyles Brandreth was present in a red Winnie-the-Pooh jumper
Camilla described Winnie-the-Pooh as a ‘universal hero’, saying that people love him and his friends all over the world. She also said it was ‘very nice to be back in Sussex’ and revealed that she had spent ‘a lot of time as a child’ playing poohsticks herself, giving the visit a particularly personal feel.
The Queen also unveiled a new walking trail named Queen’s Walk, which is expected to draw visitors into the forest and introduce new generations to the landscapes that inspired Milne’s stories. She said families, especially children, would ‘come pouring in’ to enjoy the experience.
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During the visit the Queen chatted with local children
During the engagement, Camilla met children’s authors including Dame Julia Donaldson, creator of The Gruffalo, illustrator Axel Scheffler, and Jane Riordan, who writes official Winnie-the-Pooh sequels. The group joined her in celebrating not only Pooh’s centenary, but also the joy of reading and the importance of keeping classic children’s literature alive.
The Queen later spoke with local children and Ashdown Forest staff and volunteers at The Enchanted Place, a memorial site dedicated to Milne and original Winnie-the-Pooh illustrator E.H. Shepard. In the stories, it is the emotional place where Christopher Robin says goodbye to the animals.
For royal fans, the visit offered a rare blend of nostalgia, literature and childhood memory. At a time when public royal engagements often focus on major institutions and national duties, Camilla’s day in Ashdown Forest felt softer and more personal – a reminder of the enduring power of stories, simple games and the characters that stay with generations.
