Queen Camilla has committed to supporting victims of domestic abuse, stating, “I shall keep on trying until I am able to no more.” She emphasizes that abuse affects both women and men, adding, “I’m appalled by the number of people who are being killed… it was coming up to two a week. It’s so important to act now.”
Over the past eight years, the Queen has actively worked to raise awareness on this issue and speaks out in a compelling new ITV documentary. “By scratching the surface, you get a terrible shock,” she notes. “If we could just get more people discussing it, talking about it… perhaps there’s something we can help with to hopefully put an end to it.”
In the documentary, Queen Camilla meets survivors and visits organizations that support them. She praises these “wonderfully brave” survivors, saying, “There are a lot of feisty women who have been through it, come out the other end, and are now telling others how to do it.”
Her Majesty stresses that victims should feel no shame, stating, “It’s not their fault. And when you convince them of that, they start becoming themselves again.” A palace spokesperson shares that the Queen hopes the documentary will “prompt conversations” and reach out to those suffering in silence.
The film, Her Majesty The Queen: Behind Closed Doors, produced by an all-female team at Love Monday, highlights Camilla’s dedication to this cause. It features notable voices including Dame Helen Mirren, Sir Patrick Stewart, former Prime Minister Theresa May, and human rights lawyer Lady Blair, KC.
Dame Helen Mirren applauds Queen Camilla’s support, saying, “To be supported by someone as important as Queen Camilla is a huge step.” Also sharing their experiences are Rosie Duffield MP, fitness influencer Alice Liveing, and former Miss England Rehema Muthamia.
Chief Inspector Sharon Baker of Avon and Somerset Police shares her own survival story, noting, “I was full of shame and embarrassment that I hadn’t spotted it… It was a horrible secret.”
In the documentary, Queen Camilla visits a refuge where she meets “Natalie,” who fled an abusive relationship, and reunites with Diana Parkes, whose daughter Joanna Simpson was tragically murdered by her ex-husband in 2010. Reflecting on their first meeting in 2016, Camilla tells Diana, “I’m honestly never, ever going to forget that meeting. It’s engraved on my heart.”
Joanna’s friend Hetti Barkworth-Nanton, co-founder of the Joanna Simpson Foundation, describes the Queen as a “force for change,” emphasizing, “If we don’t normalize the conversation, we will continue to lose beautiful lives unnecessarily.”
The Queen is also shown inspecting care bags provided to survivors of sexual assault to use after forensic exams, an initiative she launched with Boots in 2017 to offer a “crumb of comfort” during an extremely difficult time.
“The Queen is pushing the door wider and wider open,” says Jess Phillips MP. “She stands up as our Queen and talks about rape and sexual violence… unimaginable 20 years ago.”
Reflecting on the progress of women’s rights, the Queen acknowledges that while there has been substantial progress, “it’s going to take a long, long time” to eradicate domestic abuse completely.
