J.K. Rowling has thanked her army of fans as she celebrated the 20th anniversary of the first Harry Potter book being released.
Monday (26 June) marks 20 years to the day that ‘Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone’ first hit book shelves, and introduced bookworms to the wizarding world of Hogwarts.
The hashtag #HarryPotter20 soon began trending on Twitter, with many fans sharing their fondest memories the characters, prompting J.K. to acknowledge the milestone.
She wrote: “20 years ago today a world that I had lived in alone was suddenly open to others. It’s been wonderful. Thank you.”
Six other ‘Harry Potter’ books were subsequently published, with the series ending with ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ in 2007.
The works were also turned into eight blockbuster films, making names of then-child actors Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson.
The Harry Potter universe lives on to this day with West End stage show ‘Harry Potter And The Cursed Child’, which is set 19 years after the last book.
Prequel series ‘Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them’ also hit cinemas last year, with a further four films planned.