Plenty of children’s books are good reads — and then there are some that are royally good reads. As in, beloved by actual royals.
As Meghan Markle and Prince Harry join the worldwide parenting club and embark on those exciting but "daunting" (as Kate Middleton called them) first weeks, one book might just be at the top of their "to-be-read" stack for the little one. During a 2016 interview, which Bustle recently unearthed, Markle (who was starring in Suits at the time) was asked, “What children’s book can you not wait to share with your kids?” Her answer: The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein.
It’s fitting that Markle, who was devoted to humanitarian work well before joining the royal family, would love the 1964 children’s picture book. The classic read details the friendship between a boy and a tree, and examines what it means to give and take in our world.
Markle isn’t the only member of the royal family to express enthusiasm for a classic children’s tale. Prince William has talked about how The Gruffalo is a favorite of Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Just last month, William had his own fan moment when he was introduced to author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler at a Tusk Trust event. “I know who you are. It’s a big hit in our household, The Gruffalo,” he told the duo, according to People.
As for other royal reveals, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, is a fan of author L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables, having called Anne “...a real heroine. You could lose yourself in it. I loved it.”
And Princess Beatrice has spoken of how the Harry Potter series, specifically Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, "captured my imagination" and inspired her to read despite feeling challenged by having dyslexia.
You could call that a reigning book list for any little one's library.
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