Queen Camilla faces backlash over Pride Month meeting with J.K. Rowling in Edinburgh

The meeting in Edinburgh

At the start of the Scottish Royal Week, Queen Camilla met "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. The official Instagram account of the Royal Family shared a photo of the two women, Camilla in a deep blue dress and Rowling in a white blazer, standing side by side. The accompanying caption emphasized their shared dedication to children's literacy:

Her Majesty and Ms Rowling spoke about how important it is to give young people access to books, and the crucial role reading plays in opening doors for future generations.

The meeting was intended to highlight the importance of reading for pleasure, a cause Camilla has long championed through her online book club turned charity, "The Queen's Reading Room."

Backlash during Pride Month

The post, however, went live in June, which is widely celebrated as Pride Month. The timing drew immediate criticism, with many users flooding the comments to accuse the Queen of lending Rowling a platform at the expense of the LGBTQ+ community. Camilla was called "pathetic" and Rowling the "queen of transphobes." One user wrote:

I am deeply disappointed that the Queen gives JKR a platform, no matter the month, but especially during Pride Month.

Another posted simply:

During Pride Month. Seriously?

Numerous commenters added the transgender flag emoji beneath the post, and a recurring phrase was "Trans rights are human rights."

Rowling's history and the trans debate

The uproar stems from J.K. Rowling's longstanding and outspoken involvement in debates over gender identity. In October 2023, when a social media user wrote "Trans women are women," Rowling replied with a single word:

No.

She later said she would go to prison for her beliefs. Criticized by LGBTQ+ advocacy groups as transphobic, Rowling has consistently denied any hatred. Her stance led to a public rift with "Harry Potter" actors Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, who both voiced support for transgender people and distanced themselves from the author.

Defenders and Camilla's literary role

Not all reactions were negative. Some users defended Rowling's right to express her views, arguing the criticism reflected double standards. One comment read:

J.K. Rowling has as much right to her opinion as anyone else. Anyone acting like she is worthless just because she doesn't agree with your lifestyle should take a long, hard look in the mirror.

Camilla, who is patron of several literary organizations and actively promotes the joy of reading, has in the past encouraged authors not to be silenced. The palace has not commented further on the backlash.