Queen Camilla recalls 1960s attacks amid campaign against domestic violence

queen of england Camilla On Wednesday, she spoke publicly for the first time about her personal experience of being molested, saying speaking out was a way for her to use her royal platform to shine a light on violence against women.

Camilla, who has made combating domestic violence one of her signature causes, recalled fighting off a man who attacked her on a train as a teenager in the 1960s.

“I was reading my book and, you know, this boy attacked me and I did fight back,” Camilla told the BBC. “I remember getting off the train and my mum looked at me and said, ‘Why is your hair standing up?'” and ‘Why is there a button missing from your coat?’ ‘”

Camila said that while the attack left her “outraged”, she remained silent for years until she heard other women tell their stories.

She said she decided to speak out because domestic violence has been such a “taboo subject” for so long that most people don’t realize how bad the situation is.

“I thought, well, if I had a little soapbox to stand on, I’d want to stand on it,” she said. “There’s not much I can do except talk to people and bring people together.”

The comments were made during group interviews with surviving family members of Louise Hunter, 25, her sister Hannah, 28, and their mother. carolAged 61, murdered at home outside by Louise’s ex-partner London July 2024.

Queen praises former racing commentator John Hunter and his daughter Amy In recognition of their work in combating domestic violence.

“Wherever your family is now, they would be so proud of you both,” Camila said. “They would be smiling at you from above and thinking, ‘Oh my God, what a great father, husband, sister.'” They would be so proud of you both. “

While this is the first time Camilla has spoken publicly about the attack she experienced, it was previously recounted in the book “Power and Palaces” by former Times of London royal correspondent Valentine Lowe, published earlier this year. The claim is based on what the Queen told the former Prime Minister Boris Johnson When he was Mayor of London.

According to Lowe’s book, Camilla was on a train to London’s Paddington station when the man sitting next to her reached out and tried to touch her. She took off her shoes and punched him in the groin, knocking him back. When she arrived at Paddington, she spotted a uniformed man and told him what had happened, and the man was arrested.