David Walliams amuses Duchess of Cornwall by admitting his son ‘prefers other authors’
David Walliams made the Duchess of Cornwall chuckle as he admitted his son chooses other authors over his own books in a video call with the royal.
Walliams, who has written more than 20 children’s books, spoke to Camilla to promote the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition.
Camilla, 72, asked if Walliams’s seven-year-old son Alfred had “inherited your talent for writing?”
Walliams, 48, replied: “He’s coming up with ideas for stories all the time. I mean, they come thick and fast.
“So he’s really into that and really into stories. He tends to choose other writers rather than me…”
The pair also discussed keeping busy in lockdown, with Walliams saying being creative helps him to pass the time.
He said: “I’m good. I’m just keeping myself busy writing.
“Well it’s never a better time, I think, to be writing or reading than this time. And I find, personally, that when I do creative work, it passes the time beautifully.”
The Britain’s Got Talent judge and the duchess spoke about encouraging children to enter the competition, which had the environment as its theme.
Camilla said: “You can tell it by poetry, you can write an essay, you can write a story.”
Walliams added: “Really be as imaginative as you can. There’s millions of children who could potentially enter this competition.”
Walliams’s many books include Gangsta Granny, Mr Stink, and The Boy In The Dress. Camilla is an avid reader and often focuses on literacy in her royal work.
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She recently shared her favourite books, which included The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman and A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.
The duchess took the video call in her office in Birkhall, where she has been living with Prince Charles since the beginning of the lockdown.
Her bookshelves also reveal a varied reading habit.
She added: “We just want lots and lots and lots of these aspiring young writers to enter because, as you said before, some of their stories really are verging on brilliant.”
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Walliams added: “They’re brilliant. And I know that this theme is really going to get them going, so I can’t wait to read the entries.”
The Commonwealth Essay Competition is the oldest of its kind, founded1883 to promote literacy, expression and creativity among young people throughout the nations.
This year’s theme is Climate Action and the Commonwealth, with young people asked to consider their position and power in bringing about change, and how the Commonwealth can be used as a tool for positive action.
There are two age categories: under 14s and 14-18 years.
Entries will be accepted online until 30 June.
