Antigua and Barbuda’s Joanne C. Hillhouse will help shape the next generation of young writers as part of the Final Panel of Judges for The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2025. Hillhouse, a celebrated author and founder of the Wadadli Youth Pen Prize, brings a Caribbean voice to the distinguished group of international literary and cultural figures entrusted with selecting the winners of the world’s oldest schools’ writing competition.
An award-winning writer with eight published books, Hillhouse was recently named to the 2025 Commonwealth Short Story Prize Long List. She is also an Anthony N. Sabga Laureate for Arts and Letters and has played a pioneering role in developing opportunities for emerging writers across the region through her creative column, CREATIVE SPACE.
Joining Hillhouse on the final judging panel are leading figures from across the Commonwealth, chaired by renowned poet and novelist Sir Ben Okri OBE and poet-artist Imtiaz Dharker. The panel includes bestselling novelist Victoria Hislop, historical fiction writer Annie Garthwaite, cookbook author and YouTube creator Chetna Makan, and education leader Caroline Haines. They are joined by Ntsika Kota, Portia Subran, Maria Samuela, and Shakespeare scholar Dr Paul Edmondson, each bringing expertise from diverse literary and cultural traditions.
Together, the panel represents the breadth and richness of Commonwealth storytelling. Their role will be to assess thousands of entries submitted by young writers worldwide and uphold the competition’s reputation for excellence, creativity, and cultural exchange.
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