The ceremony took place at the French Residence in London in the presence of the jury’s chair, the writer Joanne Harris, and members, renowned authors of literature for teenagers and young adults: Marie-Aude Murail and Timothée de Fombelle from France, and Patrice Lawrence and Joseph Coelho from the UK. Figures from the two countries’ literary worlds were also in attendance. Pupils from the Lycée international de Londres Winston Churchill and Europa School took part in the ceremony.
Launched by HM The Queen and Mme Brigitte Macron in September 2023, during Their Majesties’ State Visit to France, this first year of the Entente Littéraire Prize recognises books aimed at teenagers and young adults. It celebrates the pleasures of reading and the sharing of literary experiences between France and the UK. It is managed by the Institut français du Royaume-Uni and the Royal Society of Literature.
This first award ceremony took place during the 120th Anniversary of the Entente Cordiale, which has been celebrated in both countries. The prize illustrates the importance of the close bilateral relationship between the UK and France and celebrates our close cultural ties. The cultural links between the UK and France run deep, highlighting the importance of these artistic ties.
The Entente Littéraire Prize helps to promote some of the most exciting young adult literature from all corners of the UK and France, shining a light on Franco-British literary talent and inspiring more young people to discover fiction from both sides of the Channel.
During the announcement in 2023 The Queen said: “Mme Macron and I share a deep love of literature and a passion to promote literacy: through our respective work, we have seen first-hand the life-changing power of books to bring us joy, comfort, companionship, laughter and hope, opening our eyes to others’ experiences and reminding us that we are not alone. To quote Victor Hugo once again, “Apprendre à lire, c’est allumer du feu ; toute syllabe épelée étincelle”, “To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark.”
Madame Macron said: “Creating the Entente Littéraire Prize with the Queen has been a wonderful adventure. We believe in the many virtues of books. They help us build our personalities, give us keys to understanding others and open the doors to imaginary worlds. We hope the Prize will encourage young readers in both our countries to discover the works selected by the jury. As Jane Austen famously declared : “There is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of anything than of a book”.
“It has been a pleasure and a privilege to have had the opportunity to judge this wonderful new prize: a prize that is doubly important in that it celebrates young adult, and highlights the role of translators as creators in their own right. It also celebrates the relationship between our two countries, both rich in literary heritage and in shared history” said Joanne Harris.
Two prizes of €8,000 were awarded, for a French text translated into English and an English text translated into French. The prize recognises equally all the book’s creators (the author and the translator).
For more information
Royal Society of Literature website
For press enquiries, contact
French Embassy to the UK:
Natalia Foresti: +44(0) 20 70731016 | natalia.foresti@diplomatie.gouv.fr
Institut français du Royaume-Uni:
Natacha Antolini: 020 7871 3520 | natacha.antolini@institut-francais.org.uk
Royal Society of Literature:
Catherine Riley: 020 7845 4679 | catherine.riley@rsliterature.org