Queen Camilla has spoken openly for the first time about her experience dealing with indecent assault.
In a moving discussion with BBC racing commentator John Hunt, whose wife and two daughters were murdered last year, the Queen talked about women, violence and misogyny.
Camilla shared how she had to fight off a man on a train as a teenager by hitting him in the groin with her shoe before reporting it to the police.
The man was arrested, with the incident leaving the Queen “furious”.
Queen Camilla has spoken openly for the first time about her experience dealing with indecent assault
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GETTYCamilla never planned for the story to be made public, after only confiding with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson about the assault during a private meeting at Clarence House in 2008, to discuss her opening of a new women’s refuge.
A palace source said her approach to sharing the story was to encourage a broader conversation.
The source stated: “If some good comes of this publication, which is that the wider issues are discussed, it destigmatises the whole topic and empowers girls today to take action and seek help, and to talk about it, then that’s a good outcome.”
The royal discussed the subject during a conversation with Mr Hunt and her surviving daughter, Amy, in a special programme guest-edited by former Prime Minister Theresa May.
Queen Camilla spoke with John and Amy Hunt
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GETTYRecalling the incident, Camilla said: “I was reading my book and this boy, man, attacked me and I did fight back, and I remember getting off the train and my mother looking at me and saying: ‘Why is your hair standing on end, and why is a button missing from your coat?’.
“But I remember anger, and I was so furious about it.”
Mr Hunt and his daughter Amy were invited by the Queen to Clarence House in November to discuss issues around women and violence.
Camilla has long campaigned on the issue of sexual violence against women and domestic abuse.
Camilla described how ‘furious’ she was following the incident
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GETTYHer Majesty said: “It’s been a taboo subject for so long. People haven’t talked about it, you mention it, everybody is so ‘shush, let’s change the subject’.
“I wanted to, if I’ve got a tiny soap box to stand on, I’d like to stand on it, and there’s not a lot I can do except talk to people and get people together.”
The Queen explained that hearing Mr Hunt’s story made her want to do something.
Louise Hunt, 25, and her sister Hannah, 28, were murdered alongside their mother, Carol, 61, by Louise’s ex-partner, Kyle Clifford, at their home in Bushey, Hertfordshire.
John Hunt and his wife Carol, who was murdered at the family’s home
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FACEBOOK: JOHN HUNTClifford, 27, was sentenced to a whole life order in March, after pleading guilty to the murders and receiving a further conviction for raping Louise.
After his attack, Clifford went on the run and was unsuccessful in trying to kill himself until police caught up with him.
The broadcast today comes ahead of a fundraising gala for a new Hunt Family Fund, set up in memory of Carol, Louise and Hannah.
The gala will take place on January 1 to support causes that help and support women.