The Queen has told survivors of sexual violence: “We stand with you and alongside you, today and every day, in solidarity, sorrow and sympathy.”
The speech will be seen as Camilla’s strongest sign of support for the victims of Jeffrey Epstein, the late paedophile financier, as she called for boys to be taught the difference between consent and assault.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “I think Her Majesty’s speech speaks for itself.”
Camilla hosted a Women of the World (WOW) reception at St James’s Palace on Tuesday to mark International Women’s Day, which was on Sunday.
Addressing guests including the actors Dame Helen Mirren, Dame Harriet Walter and Hannah Waddingham, as well as politicians and dozens of survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, the Queen said: “To every survivor of every kind of violence, many of whom have not been able to tell their stories or who have not been believed, please know that you are not alone.
“We stand with you and alongside you, today and every day, in solidarity, sorrow and sympathy.
“Every woman has a story. And these stories must be told. Because when we live in a culture of silence, we empower violence against women and girls.”
She added that boys “should be taught to manage and to express their feelings healthily” in the playground and that in the classroom “all children must learn what constitutes consent — and what is assault”.
Camilla said more needed to be done to tackle misogyny and hatred online because “it is in the online space where boys and young men absorb many of the values they will carry through to adulthood”.
Her intervention comes after the King’s brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested last month on suspicion of misconduct in public office after allegations surrounding his friendship with Epstein.
When Andrew was stripped of his royal titles in October, a palace spokesman said: “Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”
Andrew was released under investigation and denies wrongdoing.
On Monday, Republic, the anti-monarchy campaign group, protested outside Westminster Abbey as senior members of the royal family attended the annual Commonwealth Day Service.
Protesters waved placards featuring a picture of Andrew from the Epstein files under the words: “Charles, what did you know?”
The former Duke of York was accused of assault by Virginia Giuffre, who claimed to have had sex with Andrew on three separate occasions when she was 17.
Andrew received financial help from the royal family to help him reach a £12 million settlement with Giuffre with no admission of liability. The deal, signed in 2022, prevented Giuffre, from repeating any of the allegations for a year. She died by suicide in 2025.
Sources close to the King have denied claims that Charles contributed to the fund to settle Andrew’s civil case out of court.
For more than a decade, Camilla has worked to raise awareness about domestic abuse and sexual violence. She has supported WOW since its inception in 2010 and became its president in 2015.
Her latest comments come before an event on Friday called The Weight of it all: Epstein and Overwhelm, which aims to “unpack how and why many women are feeling traumatised”.
During the reception on Tuesday, the Queen wore a badge which read: “Shame must change sides”.
It was a gift to her from Gisèle Pelicot, the French rape survivor, who was invited to Clarence House last month.
During the meeting, Camilla praised Pelicot’s “extraordinary dignity and courage” after the 73-year-old waived her anonymity for a trial in which her ex-husband Dominique was jailed for 20 years for drugging and raping her, and allowing 50 other men to abuse her while she was unconscious.
At St James’s Palace, the actress Miriam Margolyes greeted Camilla with kisses and said: “Hello darling, how are you? Will you tell His Majesty that we love him and we want him to get better and to take no notice of anyone who criticizes him, because he’s just wonderful.”
Camilla laughed and replied: “I will bear that in mind.”
Mirren said she had earlier explained to her driver that she was going to a reception to mark International Women’s Day. She said: “He said: ‘when’s International Men’s Day then?’ and I said: ‘Every f***ing day!’
“So yes, we do need an International Women’s Day, it’s very important.”
The model Penny Lancaster said: “I think what’s refreshing is because of Her Majesty’s honesty of her own experiences it makes it more powerful and more relatable when you listen to her message. What resonated with me particularly was her message to young boys. I have a 20-year-old and 15-year-old.
“My husband [Rod Stewart] has always told my boys that a real man will be happy to apologise.
“Women are dealing with sexual assault all of the time but it isn’t just a woman’s problem. If you are a man walking home late at night and you see a woman walking on her own, do the generous thing and cross to the other side of the road. Be thoughtful. Be mindful.”
Lancaster, who is a volunteer special constable, said: “I’ve had past experience from my own childhood [of assault], I carried that with me for a long time. But going into policing and undertaking the training has given me a lot more confidence. We are getting word out there and men are being educated. Bigger steps need to be taken to protect women but we are getting there.”
