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.”