Queen Camilla Breaks Her Silence: The Sexual Assault That Changed Her Life

Queen Camilla has shared a powerful and deeply personal chapter of her past, revealing that she was the victim of a sexual assault during her teenage years. In a special broadcast for the BBC Radio 4 Today program, the Queen spoke openly about the disturbing encounter for the first time in her own voice. The interview, recorded at Clarence House, was part of a series marking the United Nations' 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence. This revelation provides a profound context for her long standing dedication to supporting survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, a cause that has become a cornerstone of her royal work.

The incident occurred while a teenage Camilla was traveling alone on a train to Paddington Station. While she was sitting and reading a book, a male stranger began to touch her inappropriately, moving his hand further and further. Camilla described her immediate instinct to defend herself, recalling that she did exactly what her mother had taught her to do in such a dangerous situation. She took off her shoe and struck the man in the groin with the heel. "I remember getting off the train and my mother looking at me and saying, 'Why is your hair a mess, and why is a button missing from your coat?'" she shared during the interview.

The Queen emphasized that the defining emotion of the experience was a searing anger that stayed with her for decades. "I mainly remember the anger. I was so furious, and it stayed with me for years," she stated. Despite her young age at the time, she remained composed enough to find a uniformed officer upon arriving at the station to report the crime, which led to the man’s arrest. While parts of this story were previously mentioned in the book Power and the Palace by journalist Valentine Low, hearing the Queen describe the struggle and the resulting rage herself has added a new layer of gravity to the conversation surrounding violence against women.

By sharing this story, the Queen hopes to provide strength to other victims and highlight the reality of the war on women's safety that persists globally. She noted that her personal history is the reason this issue is so close to her heart, driving her to use her platform to advocate for better support systems and legal protections. As she continues her work with domestic violence charities, the Queen’s message is clear: the anger felt by survivors is a valid and powerful force for change. Her willingness to discuss her own vulnerability and her successful act of self defense serves as a reminder that the trauma of such attacks does not end when the incident is over, but rather becomes a lifelong commitment to justice and healing.