Queen Camilla uses garden party to champion women's safety

Queen Camilla made sure that the garden party was about far more than social niceties.

Hosted by UK ambassador Sir Christian Turner, the embassy gathering brought together around 600 guests spanning politics, science, sustainability, the arts, and the charitable world. 

Among those invited were representatives from frontline organisations tackling domestic abuse and exploitation, including House of Ruth, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, My Sister’s Place, DC Safe, and DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence. 

Moving through the crowd Camilla paused to speak with campaigners, offering warm thanks: “Nice to meet you, wish we had longer to talk.” 

For Sandra Jackson, CEO of House of Ruth, the royal endorsement matters. 

She described the Queen as someone who can bring real visibility to the issue, noting that the Queen not only acknowledged their work but expressed hope for continued progress.

That sentiment was echoed by Michelle DeLaune of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, who praised her ability to push conversations forward. 

With so many victims suffering in silence, she noted, having an advocate helps chip away at isolation and stigma.

Earlier, glimpses from the White House showed the presidential couple giving their royal guests a tour of the South Lawn with a newly expanded beehive shaped like the White House.