Once viewed with skepticism by the public, Queen Camilla has now become one of the most popular members of the Royal Family.
Dedicated to duty, she supports nearly 100 charities, many of which focus on helping survivors of domestic violence. But behind her advocacy lies a disturbing personal experience, revealed in a new book.
A Privileged but Simple Childhood
Camilla Rosemary Shand was born on July 17, 1947, into a wealthy and well-connected family. Her lineage included Alice Keppel, the mistress of King Edward VII, and renowned builder Thomas Cubitt. Growing up in East Sussex and South Kensington, she enjoyed a privileged but warm upbringing with her parents Bruce and Rosalind Shand, who were unusually affectionate for their class.
The Queen has often described her childhood as “idyllic.” Speaking with Women’s Day, she recalled carefree days in the countryside: “I was one of the very lucky ones, I had the idyllic childhood right in the country, sitting on the South Downs with my brother and my sister and our pets and our ponies.” She even remembered riding ponies to school in summer, something she admitted would be unimaginable for children today.
Camilla grew up alongside her younger siblings Annabel and Mark, though Mark sadly passed away in 2014. She developed a lifelong love of horses and, thanks to her family’s wealth, enjoyed the privileges of the social elite, from shopping at Harrods to mixing with aristocracy. Her mother also taught her the art of small talk—an invaluable skill for royal life.
The Teenage Assault on a London Train
Despite her privileged background, Camilla was not shielded from danger. In Valentine Low’s book Power and the Palace, a disturbing incident from her teenage years is revealed. Around the age of 16 or 17, while traveling alone on a train to Paddington Station in the mid-1960s, Camilla was groped by a man sitting beside her.
She later recounted the shocking moment, telling former Prime Minister Boris Johnson how she reacted: “I did what my mother told me, I took my shoe off and whacked him in the nuts with the heel.”
According to Low, when the train arrived at Paddington, she immediately reported the man to an officer in uniform, who had him arrested. Johnson’s former communications director, Guto Harri, explained that this quick thinking and courage shaped her later support for charities helping women who have suffered abuse.
Advocacy for Survivors of Violence
Although Camilla rarely speaks about her personal ordeal, sources suggest she doesn’t want to overshadow the far worse experiences endured by other women. “She didn’t want to draw attention to herself at the expense of their experiences,” Low explained.
Her commitment to survivors remains clear. In 2024, the Queen hosted a reception at Buckingham Palace honoring supporters of those affected by sexual assault.
Speaking at the event, she said: “Each one of you has a powerful story to tell: whether you work in this country or overseas; whether you are based in a refuge, a Sexual Assault Referral Centre, a charity, Parliament, or — most important of all — you are a survivor.”