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 âHarry Potter And The Philosopherâs Stoneâ 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: â20 years ago today a world that I had lived in alone was suddenly open to others. Itâs been wonderful. Thank you.â
Six other âHarry Potterâ books were subsequently published, with the series ending with âHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallowsâ 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 âHarry Potter And The Cursed Childâ, which is set 19 years after the last book.
Prequel series âFantastic Beasts And Where To Find Themâ also hit cinemas last year, with a further four films planned.