Queen Camilla has spoken publicly about being assaulted as a young woman in the nineteen sixties, using her personal experience to underline the urgency of confronting domestic abuse and violence against women.

The disclosure came during a campaign engagement focused on supporting survivors and strengthening long-term responses to abuse, marking one of the most personal interventions she has made on the issue.

The Queen described the incident as something that stayed with her for decades, emphasising that attitudes at the time often discouraged victims from speaking out or seeking help.

She said the experience reinforced her determination to support initiatives that ensure victims are believed, protected and given access to sustained support rather than short-term assistance.

The Queen has made combating domestic violence a central pillar of her public work, backing charities, shelters and prevention programmes across the United Kingdom and internationally.

In recent years she has repeatedly highlighted the need for coordinated efforts between government, law enforcement, healthcare providers and community organisations to address the root causes of abuse and to support recovery.

By sharing her own experience, the Queen sought to demonstrate that violence can affect women from all backgrounds and to encourage wider societal change, including greater awareness, early intervention and a refusal to tolerate abusive behaviour.

Her comments were welcomed by organisations working with survivors, who said the intervention could help reduce stigma and encourage more victims to come forward and seek help.