Image source: thedukeofyork.org
Grandchild to the queen of England, Princess Beatrice has spent much of her adult life working with organizations that focus on childhood education and support for learning difficulties such as dyslexia, a learning disability she was diagnosed with at age seven. When she was a young student, Princess Beatrice had trouble with reading and spelling, and she never enjoyed reading anything. It wasn’t until she picked up J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series that Princess Beatrice developed an enthusiasm for reading. In college, she pursued a dual degree in History and History of Ideas, degrees that required heavy reading. But as Princess Beatrice had learned from picking up Rowling’s books, reading about something that interested her, like history, would make the book-heavy college years easier. Much of her current focus is meeting with schools and young students who also have a learning disability, and sharing her story and advice on how to overcome the challenges. She wants to communicate with children that dyslexia is an opportunity, not a restriction, and continues to spread that encouragement at schools she visits and speaks at.
"Dyslexia is not a pigeonhole to say you can’t do anything. It is an opportunity and a possibility to learn differently. You have magical brains, they just process differently. Don’t feel like you should be held back by it," she told the youngsters.” Princess Beatrice speaking at Bolingbroke Academy in 2014.
Learn more about Princess Beatrice here. Read more about "Strengths and Interests" here.