Palace shares highlights as Queen focuses on charity work after difficult revelation
Queen Camilla stepped back into public duties this week, shortly after an unsettling story from her past resurfaced.
On Tuesday, the Queen consort visited Cornwall to mark the 25th anniversary of an international disaster relief charity and to unveil a new air ambulance. Buckingham Palace released a statement and video of the day, celebrating her engagements with local organisations.
“A lovely day in Cornwall celebrating the work of a few of Her Majesty’s Cornish patronages!” the Palace shared. Camilla praised ShelterBox UK, which provides emergency shelter for families affected by conflict, disasters, and the climate crisis. She also met with members of the Cornwall Community Foundation at Wave House Church, which supports grassroots groups working to strengthen communities.
The Palace also noted the Queen’s role in celebrating Cornwall Air Ambulance, which first took to the skies in 1987 and has since completed 32,000 missions across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
The positive update followed media coverage of an excerpt from Valentine Low’s upcoming book, which recalled an incident from Camilla’s teenage years. The story described how she defended herself on a train to Paddington by striking a man with her shoe before reporting the assault to police.
According to royal reporter Rebecca English, Camilla never intended to share the episode publicly, though she once recounted it in 2008 to then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson. A palace source explained that Camilla views her experience as part of a wider issue faced by many women, but has always avoided comparing it with the stories of survivors she has met through her campaigning.
“She has never wanted to equate what she went through as a young woman with the stories that so many victims and survivors have had the courage to share with her,” the source said, adding that she believes those voices are far more important.
