diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 31e5fb9..13b34ff 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ The format follows [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/).
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Added
+- README release announcement: a latest-release badge and a v1.0.0 callout
+  linking to the release notes and CHANGELOG. (#27)
+
 ## [1.0.0] - 2026-06-02
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index da1c953..ee6f18b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,9 +1,15 @@
 # url_checker
 
+[![Latest release](https://img.shields.io/github/v/release/ericcames/url_checker?label=release)](https://github.com/ericcames/url_checker/releases/latest)
+
 Ansible playbook that verifies a list of external URLs is reachable from wherever
 the play runs. Useful for confirming that a host (or a network segment) has the
 egress it needs before installing software that pulls from those endpoints.
 
+> **🎉 v1.0.0 is here** — the first stable release. See the
+> [release notes](https://github.com/ericcames/url_checker/releases/tag/v1.0.0)
+> and the [CHANGELOG](CHANGELOG.md).
+
 ## Repo layout
 
 ```