Julian Barnes awarded Princess of Asturias Prize for Literature

British author Julian Barnes has been named the recipient of the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Literature. He will become the second British writer to receive this honor, following Doris Lessing in 2001.

Barnes, an Oxford-educated writer who has worked as a lexicographer and critic, is noted for his unique style that often blends fiction with essayistic elements. His body of work includes the Booker Prize finalist ‘Flaubert’s Parrot’ and various explorations of art, music, and history.

His recent work, ‘Comiats’, is described as a deeply subjective and hybrid narrative. The book combines scientific insights, such as those related to Proust, with personal reflections on his cancer diagnosis and stories of friendship and love.