Queen Camilla visited Kent today to unveil a statue of a heroine of English literature, credited with being the first full-time professional woman writer.

Her Majesty arrived in Canterbury high street to reveal the bronze figure of Aphra Behn which has been erected outside The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge.

Born in Canterbury in 1640, Behn went on to become a playwright and poet, blazing a trail for future women writers.

Her legacy and connection to the city have now been recognised by the Canterbury Commemoration Society which fundraised for and commissioned the life-size statue.

You can look back through today’s events using our live blog here

Queen Camilla has a keen interest in English Literature and, in 2021, established The Queen’s Reading Room, a charity and book club which champions literature in the UK and beyond.

She is said to be delighted to have been invited by the commemoration society and the Canterbury Aphra Behn Society, of which television presenter, commentator and author Gyles Brandreth is president and a trustee of The Queen’s Reading Room.

Speaking ahead of today’s unveiling, society chairman Stewart Ross said: “We’re very excited to be able to welcome Her Majesty to our wonderful city in the heart of the garden of England.

“The A is for Aphra campaign started five years ago when members of the community began asking why one of Canterbury’s most famous literary heroes was not celebrated in the city where she grew up.

“The campaign group joined forces with the Canterbury Commemoration Society to celebrate Aphra and to raise the statue back in the same streets Aphra knew as a child.

“Over the course of the campaign, many people from the community have worked tirelessly to raise awareness and funds for a sculpture to be placed in the city.”

The statue was created by sculptor Christine Charlesworth whose design won a public vote following an international competition.

It shows a 17-year-old Aphra, book in hand and theatrical mask behind her back, looking wistfully about her as she sets out for London with her family.

Music for the statue unveiling was provided by the 2nd Whitstable Sea Scout Band, led by Bandmaster Mark Wilkins.

Afterwards, Her Majesty was treated to a tour around The Beaney where she saw an Aphra Behn workshop with Year 3 children from St Peter’s Primary School

She also watched a performance of an excerpt from the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Behn’s play The Rover, directed by Loveday Ingram

Pilgrims Way Primary School pupil Ahmad Raza read his poem All About Me, which won the five- to eight-year-old category in the Canterbury Festival’s Poet of The Year competition

There was a further reading by St Anselm’s School pupil Emily Corbett of her poem Counting Stars which won the nine to 11-year-old category in the same competition

Gyles Brandreth also read one of Behn’s poems.

Queen Camilla also looked at the first edition of Behn’s novel Oroonoko and met its donor, Anna Astin, before signing the visitors’ book at the end of her visit.

Behn was baptised in Harbledown, just outside Canterbury, and spent her formative years in the city during the English Civil War.