Fife Arms closes the book on 2023 Braemar Literary Festival

The Fife Arms has closed the book on the 2023 Braemar Literary Festival which saw a diverse and inspiring programme packed with events to honour the power and quiet beauty of the written and spoken word.

Her Majesty The Queen shares a laugh with Dame Judi Dench. (All photos: Sim Canetty-Clarke)

Over the course of the three-day festival (September 29 – October 1) presented by the hotel in collaboration with Her Majesty The Queen’s Reading Room, residents of the village and guests from further afield were given the opportunity to attend a total of 12 festival led events.

They included ‘In Conversations’ with bestselling authors and award-winning actors, intimate panel discussions with newly published writers from around the globe, as well as eight community led events, which included local book launches and literary costume tours and pub quizzes.

Festival speakers included legendary actor Dame Judi Dench, bestselling authors William Boyd and Anthony Horowitz, renowned chef, Rick Stein, critic, author and broadcaster Grace Dent, photographer, filmmaker and author Mary McCartney, actor, author and presenter, David Walliams and Literary Editor of the Spectator Sam Leith.

David Walliams reads from his book, Gangsta Granny.

Her Majesty The Queen attended a celebratory dinner curated and prepared by internationally renowned chef, Rick Stein at The Fife Arms hotel last night, to mark the opening of the festival.

Her Majesty was also present at one of the festival’s sold-out events, ‘The Allure of Comfort food to soothe and satisfy. Grace Dent and Rick Stein in conversation with Tom Parker Bowles’, a panel discussion on the joy of comfort food and home cooking.