Sarah Jessica Parker hails ‘extraordinary’ opportunity to be Booker Prize judge
Sarah Jessica Parker at the announcement of the 2025 Booker Prize winner Picture: Ian West/PA Wire
Actress Sarah Jessica Parker has called her role on the judging panel for a prestigious literary prize a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”, during a reception at Clarence House with Britain's Queen Camilla.
Camilla hosted the shortlisted authors, judges and winner of the Booker Prize at the British royal residence on Tuesday afternoon, after author David Szalay won the accolade for his novel , at Monday night’s award ceremony.
The Sex And The City star, who also has her own publishing imprint, SJP Lit, praised her experience as a judge for the prize, calling it “extraordinary”.
The panel also included writer and literary critic for Chris Power, Nigerian writer and winner of The Future Awards’ Africa Prize for Arts and Culture Ayobami Adebayo, and American novelist Kiley Reid.
The judging panel was chaired by Irish novelist Roddy Doyle, himself a Booker winner.
It considered 153 books and was looking for the best work of long-form fiction by writers of any nationality, written in English and published in the UK and/or Ireland between October 1 2024 and September 30 2025.
Speaking about her role as a judge, the 60-year-old actress said: “I have been following the Booker Prize for years and raised my hand jokingly, only to be approached by the CEO, Gaby Wood.
“It’s been this really sort of extraordinary experience.” Parker added: “I missed many meals out, didn’t go to the theatre or see any movies, but it was the kind of sacrifice that I thought had great nobility – a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“Especially for a reader like me, who loves nothing more than to be inside the pages of a really special book.”
The actress and publisher also spoke about how she shares the Camilla's passion for literature, and said: “I’m so appreciative of the kind of attention that she gives, and focuses on literacy, reading, and the way it enriches lives.”
Camilla is an avid reader and patron of a number of literary organisations, and last year hosted the six 2024 Booker Prize hopefuls at Clarence House.
Parker described herself as a “devoted” reader, saying: “I’m a publisher as well, so it’s something I think is necessary, important, and changes lives.”
The Sex And The City star founded JP Lit in 2022, in partnership with the independent publisher Zando. She went on to praise the prize-winning novel, by David Szalay, and said she loved “pretty much everything” about the book: “It’s an approach to fiction that none of us had experienced … and allowed the reader to feel such intense emotion.
“The shortlist was muscular, and they were all bringing their best skill and craft.
“I think that made rise in its own way, because those other books are so good.” Szalay was named the winner at Monday’s award ceremony and received £50,000 (€56,000) and a trophy, presented to him by last year’s winner Samantha Harvey.
He is the first Hungarian-British author to win the prize.
Recent winners of the Booker Prize include Bernardine Evaristo, Margaret Atwood, Douglas Stuart, Damon Galgut, Shehan Karunatilaka and Paul Lynch.
Camilla called Parker’s involvement “one of her many hats”, to which the actress responded: “It’s the one I’m most proud of.”
Parker added, “It’s so thrilling. We are surrounded by such wonderful, exciting authors.”
During the reception at the royal residence, the actress wore a vintage Dior jacket, embellished with blue sequins and gold accents, paired with a long black satin dress, pink Rene Caovilla heels and a Sonia Rykiel domino bag.
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