Queen Letizia reads Julian Barnes novel during Norway trip

Queen Letizia of Spain has been noted for reading the mystery novel ‘El loro de Flaubert’ (Flaubert's Parrot) by British author Julian Barnes during her trip to Oslo, Norway, for the funeral of King Harald.

The book, which received the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Letters, is considered the third novel by Barnes and has been praised by critics as the best in his career. The plot follows Geoffrey Braithwaite, a retired English doctor and widower, as he travels through France investigating the traces of Gustave Flaubert and attempting to solve the enigma of which of two stuffed parrots inspired the writer's work.