For many years, Queen Camilla has championed organizations that assist victims of domestic violence. Recently, the documentary Her Majesty The Queen: Behind Closed Doors brought to light the stories of courageous women affected by this issue, and in previously unseen footage, The Queen discussed how she addresses the topic with her grandchildren.
In the film, Queen Camilla engaged with four young women aged 15 to 20 who are involved with the charity SafeLives, where she holds the position of royal patron. The Changemakers group, which focuses on collaborating with schools and supporting young people at risk of experiencing domestic violence, met The Queen at Buckingham Palace to discuss the specific impacts of abusive relationships on young women.
Queen Camilla champions SafeLives’ Changemakers in their mission for lasting change
In clips from the documentary shared with the Mirror, The Queen expressed her interest in the idea of young people leading initiatives, stating, “It’s very interesting because you’re nearly the same age as my granddaughters. They were suggesting the concept of pop-up shops in schools, where two or three Changemakers could engage with students, as young people tend to respond better to their peers.”
Queen Camilla is the grandmother of two teenagers: 17-year-old Lola Parker Bowles, daughter of her son Tom Parker Bowles and his ex-wife, Sarah, and 16-year-old Elisa Lopes, born to her daughter Laura Lopes and husband Harry Lopes.
The Queen further noted that students would likely feel more comfortable sharing their experiences with the Changemakers than with older individuals, including herself.
According to SafeLives, the young women in the Changemakers group, aged between 13 and 21, focus on initiatives aimed at addressing harmful behaviors in early relationships and investigating the roots of abusive conduct among young people.
They are also working to influence the national curriculum in the U.K. to improve education on domestic violence issues. Her Majesty praised the school initiative as a “brilliant project,” but she was also frank about the challenges faced in combating domestic abuse.
“It’s going to take a long, long time because this has been an ongoing issue for ages,” Queen Camilla remarked about domestic violence. “However, if you look at the advancements we’ve made since the dark days, we have made significant progress, and I will continue to fight for change as long as I am able.”
For those experiencing any form of relationship abuse, it’s important to seek help. The National Domestic Violence Hotline offers free, confidential support 24/7. You can text START to 88788, call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), or chat online at TheHotline.org.
