500 Words 2023 launched at Buckingham Palace

The BBC’s annual writing competition for children – 500 Words – has launched with a message from Queen Camilla.

The Queen is involved in several literary programs and has her own Reading Room charity. She sent a special message to Sir Lenny Henry, who is a part of the panel of judges for this year’s competition.

The message, written as a poem, calls young entrants to start their writing and get their entries ready to submit by 10 November.

The Queen wrote, “I send this letter, dear Sir Lenny,

to ask you kindly if there’s any

chance you might today at Breakfast

tell your viewers of a contest,

which inspires imagination,

creativity, celebration.

The call, you will, I’m sure, have heard:

“Send us your Five Hundred Words!”

If you’re aged from five to seven,

or from eight up to eleven.

write your story, send it in:

you could be the one to win!

Any subject, any style:

make us marvel, make us smile,

make us think – and think again.

You have until November 10.

The hunt is on. We seek a star.

The best of luck.

– Camilla R”