Queen Camilla breaks stigma within Buckingham Palace: It's 'unimaginable'

Queen Camilla is breaking the stigma around gender-based domestic violence, and she’s starting from within the walls of Buckingham Palace.

The Queen Consort is marking 16 days of activism against gender-based violence by highlighting her work for the issue throughout the years. On Sunday, November 30, the Royal Family’s official Instagram account shared a short clip from her new ITV documentary, Her Majesty: The Queen: Behind Closed Doors, which was released earlier this month.

In the clip, Camilla, 78, is seen addressing a group of activists and survivors: “Welcome to Buckingham Palace. Thank you for committing yourself to bringing an end to these heinous crimes forever.”

The speech was particularly powerful considering the stigma around domestic violence, as highlighted by the advocates. “Domestic abuse was something that happened behind closed doors and you didn't interfere,” one said, as another added, “The fact that the Queen is saying, ‘Actually, this issue matters’ — really important.”

“She stands up as our queen and talks about rape and sexual violence. That seems unimaginable to me,” adds a third.

Accompanying the clip was a statement by King Charles’ office: "During the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, discover more about Her Majesty The Queen’s longstanding work supporting survivors of domestic abuse.”

The message continued, explaining that the film shows her “visits [to] charities and organisations dedicated to ending domestic violence and helping those affected to rebuild their lives."

The Royal Family also used the moment to remind viewers that support is available for those in need. 

The documentary originally premiered on November 11 on ITV1 and ITVX, offering a rare look at Camilla’s hands-on work behind the scenes as she champions a cause she has long described as deeply important.

The Queen has been participating in the global 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, a campaign which runs from November 25 to December 10 calling for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls. So far, the Queen has highlighted her recent patronage of the Samoa Victim Support Group and the Wash Bag Project.