LONDON — In a rare radio interview, as part of a wider conversation on violence against women, Queen Camilla spoke publicly for the first time about her experience fighting off an attempted sexual assault as a teenager on a train in Britain.
In the discussion, which aired Wednesday on BBC’s Radio 4 Today Program, Camilla recalled being on a train, reading a book, when “this boy — man — attacked me.” She said that she fought back and remembered feeling “anger” and being “so furious.”
She recalled that when she got off the train, her mother said, “Why is your hair standing on end?” and “Why is a button missing from your coat?”
The queen has long campaigned to raise awareness of domestic and sexual violence, and some of her work is highlighted in the 2024 documentary “Her Majesty The Queen: Behind Closed Doors.” This was the first time she has spoken publicly about her own experience.
The conversation was recorded earlier in the month at Clarence House, the London home that she shares with her husband, King Charles III. Camilla was speaking with John Hunt, a BBC racing commentator, and his daughter Amy. John’s wife, Carol, and two daughters, Louise and Hannah, were murdered at their family home in July 2024.
The discussion formed part of a special BBC Radio 4 episode that was guest edited by former prime minister Theresa May, who, during her time in government, pushed for legislative changes aimed at strengthening protections for survivors of domestic abuse.
The British royal family has shown flashes of increased openness in 2025, though on their own terms. Prince William spoke candidly with the actor Eugene Levy for an episode on his show “The Reluctant Traveler,” which included footage of the two men sharing a pint.
In a recent video message, Charles offered an update on his health, saying that his treatment for cancer will be reduced in the new year. Such candor, unthinkable from previous generations of monarchs, reflects a cautious shift toward discussing personal issues, albeit in controlled settings.
Camilla’s public acknowledgment of her experience reflected that balance. It was a deeply personal discussion but one that was tied to advocacy rather than publicity for the royal family.
The assault on Camilla was first reported earlier this year in “Power and the Palace,” a book by Valentine Low, a former royal correspondent for the Times of London.
According to an account in the book, Camilla was 16 or 17 at the time, and she struck her attacker in the groin with the heel of her shoe after he touched her. The book reported that she had alerted the police and that the man was arrested when the train arrived at London’s Paddington Station.
Camilla said she was encouraged to speak out after hearing the Hunts’ story. John Hunt’s wife and two of his daughters were murdered by his daughter Louise’s ex-partner in a knife and crossbow attack.
“When the subject about domestic abuse came up, and suddenly you hear a story like John and Amy’s, it’s something that I feel very strongly about,” Camilla said.
Hunt said that coping with the loss of his family “remains really difficult on a minute-by-minute basis.”
“You have to try and find the strength in our position to arm yourself with as many tools as possible that are going to help you get through that next hour,” he said.
Amy Hunt thanked Camilla for speaking about her experience, adding, “It takes a lot to share these things because every woman has a story.”
The group discussed concern about the online radicalization of men. John Hunt said that throughout his life, he had been surrounded by “fantastic men, fantastic role models. So to to have this very dark world open up to me in the starkest possible fashion has been jarring. It’s something I’ve had to navigate very quickly, and I’ve had to educate myself.”
Reflecting on her time in office, May said she tried to urge social media companies to understand the “social responsibility” for content carried on their platforms.
“The sad fact today is it doesn’t take you many steps as a young boy — just perhaps looking for something about your health or bodybuilding or something like that. It’s not many clicks away before you’re taken into some really dark and dangerous material,” May said.
Camilla stressed the importance of continuing to speak openly about abuse because “a lot of people, myself included, do not know how bad it is out there. The majority of people actually don’t want to know. It’s been a taboo subject for so long. … You mention it and everybody says, ‘Shh, let’s change the subject.’”
The conversation ended with Camilla thanking the Hunts and telling them: “Wherever your family is now, … they must be, from above, smiling down on you and thinking, my goodness me, what a wonderful, wonderful father, husband, sister. They’d just be so proud of you both.”
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