Queen Camilla Breaks Silence on Teen Assault to Spotlight Violence Against Women
Britain’s Queen Camilla has publicly shared, for the first time, a deeply personal experience of indecent assault from her teenage years as part of her ongoing campaign to raise awareness about domestic violence.
Speaking in a group interview with the family of Louise Hunt, her sister Hannah, and their mother Carol, all victims of a domestic violence murder in July 2024, the Queen recounted how, as a teenager in the 1960s, she was attacked on a train and successfully defended herself.
Camilla, who has made combatting domestic and sexual abuse one of her signature causes, said she hoped that telling her story would help break the silence around such incidents and encourage wider discussion about violence against women.
“I was reading my book, and you know, this boy, man, attacked me, and I did fight back,” she recalled, adding that the episode left her furious but long unspoken about until now.
She described how, after fending off her attacker, she reported the incident at London’s Paddington Station, where the man was subsequently arrested, an episode previously chronicled in the 2025 book Power and the Palace based on earlier accounts she shared privately.
Using Her Platform for Change
Camilla emphasised the importance of confronting the stigma surrounding domestic violence, calling it a “taboo subject” that often goes unaddressed. She said that, while she once kept her experience private, she now sees value in using her royal platform to encourage others to speak out and seek support.
In the interview, she praised the Hunts for their work in advocating against domestic abuse and acknowledged the strength it takes for survivors and families to share their stories.
Her remarks coincide with her long–standing advocacy, which includes support for rape crisis centres and campaigns to give victims a stronger voice.