Queen Camilla’s Heroic Defense: Teenage Assault Ordeal Revealed

London, Sep 1 (PTI) Britain's Queen Camilla courageously fought off a sexual assault with the heel of her shoe during her teenage years on a train to London’s Paddington station, according to revelations from a new book outlining the dynamics between the royal family and government officials.

"Power and the Palace: The Inside Story of the Monarchy and 10 Downing Street" by Valentine Low—currently being serialized in "The Times" newspaper—details a significant interaction that took place in 2008 between King Charles III’s wife and then-London Mayor Boris Johnson.

As recounted in the book, Camilla Shand (aged 16 or 17 at the time) was subjected to inappropriate touching. In an act of self-defense, she took off her shoe and struck the assailant with the heel.

“I did what my mother taught me to. I took off my shoe and whacked him in the nuts with the heel,” the book quotes her saying.

Upon arrival at Paddington station, she reported the incident to a uniformed officer, who then detained the assailant for the attack.

The conversation’s significance lay partly in Johnson's ambition at that time to establish three new rape crisis centers across east, west, and north London to complement an existing center in the south. Camilla was later involved in launching some of these centers.

Though no official statement was made by Buckingham Palace regarding the report, the palace did not contest the details.

"She did the responsible thing. Not only was she resourceful and strong, she was a responsible citizen in making sure the man was arrested," the book's author told the BBC.

At age 78, as patron of the charity SafeLives, Camilla has frequently visited women’s refuges and rape crisis centers throughout the UK and internationally. Outspoken about the struggles and resilience of those who have experienced domestic violence, she has advocated for eliminating fear or stigma for individuals stepping forward with their stories.

In a 2020 speech, Camilla emphasized: "Through my work, I have talked to many women who have lived with coercive control and domestic violence and, thankfully, come out at the other end as the victors, not the victims.

"They are some of the bravest people I have ever met. Their stories are harrowing and have reduced even the toughest of their listeners to tears. That is why it is so vital that these survivors should no longer feel any shame or any blame." Sources suggest that she had not previously spoken publicly about the attempted assault to keep focus on the broader victim support initiatives she champions.

"Power and the Palace," penned by Valentine Low, former royal correspondent for "The Times," is due for release next week. Based on nearly 100 interviews with senior politicians, top civil servants, royal aides, and constitutional experts, the book aims to uncover the often-secretive relationship between the British monarchy and the government.

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