Julian Barnes wins Princess of Asturias Award for Literature

British author Julian Barnes has been awarded the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Literature. The jury recognized his career spanning over four decades, noting his contributions to novels, essays, short stories, and autobiography. Barnes, a former Booker Prize winner for ‘The Sense of an Ending’, is described by the jury as an “extraordinary narrator and essayist, with a lucid, warm, and compassionate gaze on the human being.”

Barnes will be among several laureates delivering speeches at the 46th edition of the Princess of Asturias Awards ceremony, held at the Campoamor Theatre in Oviedo. The event will be attended by the Spanish Royal Family. Other award recipients include astronaut Christina Koch, professor Timothy Garton Ash, and singer-songwriter Patti Smith. The ceremony will feature simultaneous interpretation in five languages and enhanced accessibility measures, including live subtitling.