Attempted Assault on a Train

She added: "When I was a teenager, I was attacked on a train... I was reading my book, and this man attacked me... I defended myself, and I remember being very angry." She continued to describe the moment after getting off the train: "I got off the train, and my mother looked at me and said, 'Why is your hair standing up? And why is your coat button missing?'"

Camilla explained that the moment was shocking, but she did not succumb to fear; instead, she felt a strong anger that drove her to defend herself immediately. She stated that this anger was a natural reaction to the violation of her privacy, emphasizing that confronting the situation was her only option at that moment, and she did not allow the incident to pass without a response.

The queen added that this memory remained buried deep in her mind for many years, and she had not spoken about it publicly, not out of shame, but because she considered it a painful personal experience that she had closed the chapter on over time. However, she decided today to bring it back and reveal it in the context of a broader discussion about the violence and harassment that women face in various societies, stressing that silence does not serve the victims and that speaking out is one way to reclaim power.

Resisting Assault

According to previous details published in the book "Power and the Palace" by journalist Valentine Low, released in September 2025, Camilla, who was then known as Camilla Shand, was sixteen or seventeen years old and repelled her attacker by removing her shoe and hitting him in a sensitive area. She then reported the incident to the station officials, leading to the man's arrest, and the queen confirmed that she acted according to her mother's advice in such situations.

Queen Camilla has been one of the leading advocates for issues of sexual and domestic violence for over a decade. She has visited shelters for abused women, hosted survivors at Clarence House, and launched initiatives to support victims. In 2008, when she was the Duchess of Cornwall, she recounted the story to Boris Johnson, the then Mayor of London, during a discussion about opening support centers for rape victims, which contributed to the inspiration for the establishment of three crisis centers in the capital.

Prominent Role in Combating Harassment

Her public revelation came in the context of the United Nations' 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, as part of her efforts to encourage women to break the silence, no matter how long it takes. Camilla stated plainly: "The more you talk about it, the more you can expel those demons and terrible memories."

The queen's testimony has garnered widespread praise on social media and in the media, with many considering it a bold step that reinforces her message: that sexual assault does not discriminate between social classes, and that revealing it – even after decades – aids in healing and supports others. It is viewed as a powerful royal call to break the wall of fear and stigma surrounding this issue.