To help those who would find cost a barrier to visiting The Queen's Reading Room Festival at Chatsworth, Universal Credit tickets are available at a reduced price for eligible households.
A UC Festival Pass offers one-day entry to the Festival Hub, plus entry to the house, garden, and farmyard, and parking for one car.
If you would also like to attend an author talk, you will need to buy a UC Festival Pass plus a UC Talk Ticket for each talk you wish to attend. UC Talk Tickets are available for selected talks.
To book, please use the 'Book UC Talk Tickets & Passes' button below.
UC Talk Tickets are available for the following talks:
Saturday 19 September
| Time | Author | Location |
| 10.30am | Elif Shafak Fiction Defying Borders |
Garden Stage Festival Hub |
| 11.45am | Jeffrey Archer From Bestseller to Bestseller: Fifty Years in the Business |
Fountain Stage Festival Hub |
| 12.15pm | Ann Cleeves Murder in the Margins: From Village Noir to Coastal Crime |
Garden Stage Festival Hub |
| 1.30pm | Meg Mason The Art of Being Fine: The Modern Anti-Heroine |
Fountain Stage Festival Hub |
| 2.45pm | Kate Atkinson Sharp Wit, Sharp Crime |
Garden Stage Festival Hub |
| 4pm | Lucy Foley Miss Marple in the Alps: Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel |
Fountain Stage Festival Hub |
| 4.20pm | Harlan Coben The Writer Who Took Netflix by Storm |
Garden Stage Festival Hub |
Sunday 20 September
| Time | Author | Location |
| 10am | William Boyd From Character to Conspiracy: Building a Literary Thriller |
Garden Stage Festival Hub |
| 11.15am | Jessie Burton Where Stories Take Flight: Writing for Young Minds |
Fountain Stage Festival Hub |
| 11.45am | Clare Balding On the Home Straight: Finding Our Place & The Stories We Tell |
Garden Stage Festival Hub |
| 1pm | Jennifer Saint Ancient Stories, Modern Fire |
Fountain Stage Festival Hub |
| 2.15pm | Philippa Perry Can a Therapist Catch a Killer? |
Garden Stage Festival Hub |
| 3.30pm | Jane Harper Justice in Fiction - Why We Love Crime Stories |
Fountain Stage Festival Hub |
| 3.45pm | Cecelia Ahern Hope, Heartbreak & Happy Endings |
Garden Stage Festival Hub |
UC Ticket Prices
UC Festival Pass: £3 per person, per day
UC Talk Ticket: £3 per person, per talk
To book UC festival passes and talk tickets, you must use the link below.
BOOK UC FESTIVAL PASSES & TICKETS
Availability
UC tickets for The Queen's Reading Room Festival are now on sale.
They are available to book on a first-come, first-served basis and may sell out.
All Universal Credit tickets must be booked online in advance and are not available to purchase on site at Chatsworth.
25% off Food and Drink
Universal Credit ticketholders can also benefit from 25% off food and drink purchases on the day of their visit at selected outlets.
Terms and conditions apply to this offer. Please take time to read these before your visit.
Eligibility Criteria
Universal Credit tickets are available for households where at least one person is in receipt of one or more of the following:
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Carer's Allowance
- Those in receipt of PIP payments or DLA
These tickets are only available to purchase online in advance, and proof of eligibility is required at the entrance on the day of your visit.
Proof of eligibility
You will need to bring proof of eligibility with you and show this when you present your ticket(s) at the entrance.
Proof of eligibility can be obtained either by logging into your Universal Credit portal or by bringing a proof of benefit letter. To be eligible, you must have received a Universal Credit payment within the last month.
You can download a proof of benefits letter here https://secure.dwp.gov.uk/get-a-proof-of-benefit-letter/
Important information
Please note that reduced-priced tickets are only valid when presented with one of the above documents. Access will not be granted to anyone without one of the above documents.
Chatsworth House Trust
Chatsworth is a registered charity dedicated to preserving the house, its collections, garden, woodlands and parkland for everyone to experience and enjoy, now and forever.
Every penny of visitor admission income, Gift Aid, membership, sponsorship and donations is reinvested in the charity.
Discover more...
The Queen's Reading Room Festival 2026
19 & 20 September 2026
A literary festival like no other, uniting literature enthusiasts for a weekend dedicated to celebrating the written word.
Lee Child and Special Guests
19 September 2026
From Reacher to Rehabilitation: Writing, Reading and Second Chances
Bestselling author Lee Child is joined by special guests to discuss the transformational power of literature and storytelling.
The Queen's Reading Room Festival Afternoon Teas
19 & 20 September 2026
Add an elegant afternoon tea in the Old Duke's Glasshouse in the Chatsworth Garden to your Festival experience.
Please note: Please be aware that for technical, operational or safety reasons, some facilities may be removed or closed, or entertainment and event timetables cancelled and/or altered at any time, including at short notice. Chatsworth reserves the right to change the programme of attractions and entertainment if, at any time, it is deemed necessary or appropriate to do so, this may also include closing attractions or areas of the estate. We apologise in advance for any disappointment caused should this need arise.
Images show previous events and are provided for illustration only.
