Queen Camilla meets Gisèle Pelicot, a symbol of the fight against sexual violence

Britain’s Queen Camilla welcomed French rape survivor Gisèle Pelicot to Clarence House on Monday, telling her she was left “speechless” after reading Pelicot’s powerful memoir documenting her harrowing experience of abuse.

The private 30-minute meeting, conducted through an interpreter, carried profound symbolic weight as the 73-year-old Pelicot concluded her UK promotional tour for “A Hymn to Life: Shame Has to Change Sides,” which launched at London’s Royal Festival Hall last Friday to a sold-out audience of more than 2,000 people.

During their conversation over tea, Camilla, who opened with a few words in French before joking that she had studied the language 60 years ago but had forgotten much of it, expressed her deep admiration for Pelicot’s courage.

“I couldn’t put it down,” Camilla said of the memoir, which she finished in just two days. “I’ve met so many survivors of rape and sexual abuse I never thought I could be shocked by anything any more, but I was shocked at your case. It left me speechless.”

The meeting comes at a particularly challenging time for the British royal family, which continues to face intense scrutiny over the ongoing repercussions from the Prince Andrew-Jeffrey Epstein scandal. That crisis has repeatedly raised uncomfortable questions about accountability, privilege and institutional responses to sexual abuse allegations.

Against this backdrop, royal observers note that Camilla’s public embrace of Pelicot carries added significance for a monarchy attempting to demonstrate moral clarity on violence against women. The Queen Consort has long campaigned against domestic violence and sexual abuse, making this meeting consistent with her advocacy work while also providing a powerful visual statement of solidarity with survivors.

Pelicot has become an international symbol of resilience and courage after she made the extraordinary decision to waive her legal right to anonymity during the high-profile trial of her ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He was convicted of drugging and raping her repeatedly over nearly a decade and allowing dozens of other men to rape her while she was unconscious.

The landmark case in Avignon, which concluded in December 2024, resulted in 50 men being found guilty of rape or sexual offenses. The trial shocked France and sparked renewed conversations about consent, domestic abuse, and the treatment of sexual assault victims throughout Europe and beyond.

During their meeting, Pelicot expressed gratitude for the “incredible strength” she had received from supporters worldwide. Camilla reassured her, “You have so much support.”

The Queen’s engagement with Pelicot began last year when she sent a personal letter praising the Frenchwoman’s “extraordinary dignity and courage” – correspondence that Pelicot revealed she now keeps framed in her office.

The London book launch featured readings by acclaimed actors Kate Winslet, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Juliet Stevenson, further elevating the profile of Pelicot’s story and her message that “shame has to change sides” – that victims should not carry the burden of shame that rightfully belongs to perpetrators.

Pelicot was accompanied to Clarence House by her partner, Jean-Loup Agopian, who has supported her throughout her public campaign to raise awareness about sexual violence and challenge societal attitudes toward survivors.

Through her willingness to speak publicly about her traumatic experiences, Pelicot has helped galvanize conversations about consent, domestic abuse, and the judicial system’s handling of sexual assault cases across Europe, with her memoir now bringing that message to English-speaking audiences.