Heartbreaking 'reason' Queen Camilla never went public with 'sexual assault attempt'
Queen Camilla was a teenager when the incident happened, according to a new bookQueen Camilla was the victim of an attempted sexual assault as she bravely fought off the attacker as a teenager, a new book has claimed.
Former Times royal correspondent and author Valentine Low has detailed the alleged incident in his new book, Power and the Palace.
The book claims that Queen Camilla, 78, told Boris Johnson of the experience when he was Mayor of London.
Queen Camilla was victim of sexual assault attempt on London train, book claims
In an extract from the book, serialised in The Times, Low claims that Mr Johnson spoke with his communications director, Guto Harri, about what Camilla had allegedly told him.
According to the book, Harri claims that Mr Johnson had spoken to him about “how much he admired and liked” Camilla after meeting her at Clarence House in 2008 during his time as Mayor.
However, according to Harri, Mr Johnson and Camilla had a “serious conversation” about her “being the victim of an attempted sexual assault when she was a schoolgirl”.
I took off my shoe and whacked him in the nuts with the heel.
He says in the book: “They obviously got on like a house on fire. He was making guttural noises about how much he admired and liked her. But the serious conversation they had was about her being the victim of an attempted sexual assault when she was a schoolgirl.
“She was on a train going to Paddington — she was about 16, 17 — and some guy was moving his hand further and further…”
After Mr Johnson asked what happened next, Queen Camilla reportedly replied, according to Harri: “I did what my mother taught me to. I took off my shoe and whacked him in the nuts with the heel.”
Harri added: “She was self-possessed enough when they arrived at Paddington to jump off the train, find a guy in uniform and say, ‘That man just attacked me,’ and he was arrested.”
Buckingham Palace hasn’t made an official statement about the alleged incident. Royal Insider has contacted the palace.
Why didn’t Queen Camilla go public with the incident?
Queen Camilla has dedicated much of her royal work to supporting the victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and rape.
As reported by the BBC, sources close to the queen say she hasn’t gone public with the attempted assault before to avoid drawing attention to her experience, rather than the victims she now works with.
Author Low told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “She didn’t want to draw attention to her at the expense of their experiences.
“She’s heard a lot of the stories over the years and she’s got a very deep seated, sincere interest in this issue and it doesn’t all spring from one incident when she was a teenager.”
Meanwhile, a palace source said: “If some good comes of this publication, which is that the wider issues are discussed, it de-stigmatises the whole topic and empowers girls today to take action and seek help, and to talk about it, then that’s a good outcome.”
Camilla’s dedicated work to supporting victims of domestic violence and sexual assault
Camilla supports over 90 charities as Patron or President. She has put focus on supporting victims of rape and sexual abuse and domestic violence.
In a 2020 speech, the queen praised the victims she has met over the years, calling them “some of the bravest people I have ever met”.
Read more: King Charles and Queen Camilla quietly hold concert at Balmoral as senior royals attend
She added: “Their stories are harrowing and have reduced even the toughest of their listeners to tears. That is why it is so vital that these survivors should no longer feel any shame or any blame.”
What do you think of this story? Let us know by commenting on our Royal Insider Facebook page.
