In a revelation that has sent ripples through both royal circles and the broader British public, a new book by veteran royal correspondent Valentine Low has brought to light a harrowing episode from Queen Camilla’s teenage years. The book, Power and the Palace: The Inside Story of the Monarchy and 10 Downing Street, due for release on September 11, 2025, details an alleged sexual assault that Camilla, then a schoolgirl of about 16 or 17, endured while traveling alone on a train to Paddington in the 1960s.
The story, which until now had never been shared publicly by the Queen, surfaced through a series of nearly 100 interviews conducted by Low with senior politicians, royal aides, and constitutional experts. As reported by The Times and CNN, it was during a private meeting in 2008 between Camilla—then the Duchess of Cornwall—and Boris Johnson, who was serving as Mayor of London, that the Queen recounted the traumatic incident. The meeting was later described by Guto Harri, Johnson’s communications director at the time, who provided a detailed account to Low.
According to Harri, the two had struck up an immediate rapport during their encounter at Clarence House, with Johnson arriving unconventionally by bicycle—a fact that reportedly amused Camilla. But beneath the lighthearted start to their meeting, a much more serious conversation soon unfolded. Harri explained, “The serious conversation they had was about her being the victim of an attempted sexual assault when she was a schoolgirl.”
As recounted in the book, Camilla described how a man on the train began making advances, moving his hand closer and closer. When Johnson asked what happened next, Camilla replied, “I did what my mother taught me to. I took off my shoe and whacked him in the nuts with the heel.” Harri continued, “She was self-possessed enough when they arrived at Paddington to jump off the train, find a guy in uniform and say, ‘That man just attacked me,’ and he was arrested.”
The timing and context of the conversation were not incidental. At the time, Boris Johnson was seeking to expand support for survivors of sexual assault in London, aiming to open three new rape crisis centers across the city. According to Low’s book, the Queen’s candid disclosure provided a personal perspective on the importance of such services. Harri told Low, “I think she formally opened two out of three of them. Nobody asked why the interest, why the commitment. But that’s what it went back to.”
Buckingham Palace has maintained its customary silence on the matter, declining to comment on claims made in books. However, as reported by BBC News, a source close to the Queen expressed hope that the book might spark broader discussions about sexual assault, noting, “If some good comes of this publication, which is that the wider issues are discussed, it de-stigmatises the whole topic and empowers girls today to take action and seek help and to talk about it, then that's a good outcome.”
Queen Camilla’s advocacy for survivors of sexual and domestic violence is well established. Over the past decade, she has become a prominent voice in efforts to end violence against women, lending her support to numerous organizations and initiatives. One such effort, the Wash Bag Project, provides essential toiletries to survivors of sexual assault following forensic examinations. Earlier this year, as reported by Newsweek, Camilla personally wrote a letter of support to Gisèle Pelicot, a survivor whose case led to the conviction of 51 men for sexual assault. A royal aide explained, “As a long-term supporter of survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, the Queen wrote to Madame Pelicot privately. It was very much her instigation and determination to write to express support from the highest level.”
Camilla’s commitment to these causes is deeply personal, and the newly revealed story adds a poignant layer to her public work. Her willingness to share her own experience—albeit privately, and now indirectly through Low’s book—underscores both the prevalence of such incidents and the importance of empowering survivors to speak out and seek justice. The Queen’s actions on that train decades ago, as described in the book, are emblematic of the self-possession and resilience she has come to embody in her royal and charitable roles.
The book itself, Power and the Palace, promises to be more than just a collection of royal anecdotes. As BBC News notes, it explores the complex and often secretive relationship between the monarchy and the British government, covering everything from Brexit to the cost of the King’s Coronation. Yet it is the account of Camilla’s ordeal—and her response—that has captured public attention and reignited conversations about the responsibilities of those in power to support the vulnerable.
While the palace has not disputed the details of the story, it has not issued an official statement either. The lack of denial, alongside the Queen’s well-documented advocacy, has lent further credibility to the account. Camilla became Queen in 2022, following the accession of her husband, King Charles III, after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Since then, she has continued to use her platform to challenge taboos, visiting women’s refuges, supporting survivors, and speaking out against domestic abuse and violence against women.
The timing of the book’s release is also notable. It comes at a moment when conversations about sexual violence, consent, and survivor support are at the forefront of public debate, both in the UK and globally. The revelation of Camilla’s experience as a teenager serves as a reminder that such issues transcend social status and position—a reality that even those at the pinnacle of British society have had to confront.
Valentine Low’s book, published by Headline Press, will be available to the public on September 11, 2025. As readers and commentators digest its many revelations, the hope among those close to the Queen is that the story will not only shed light on the private struggles of public figures but also inspire renewed commitment to addressing the scourge of sexual assault and supporting those who have endured it.
The Queen’s story, now public, stands as a testament to resilience and the enduring need for open dialogue and action on issues of abuse and justice.