Queen Camilla makes first public appearance since claim she ‘fought off groper’ emerged

Camilla stepped out this afternoon at the headquarters of ShelterBox, a disaster relief charity in Cornwall.

The Queen’s appearance at the event where she met with staff and volunteers was part of the organisation marking its 25th anniversary.

The 78-year-old is Patron of the ShelterBox charity in Truro and has held that position since 2021.

Prior to becoming Patron of the charity, Camilla was named President of ShelterBox in 2007.

The royal engagement in Cornwall is the first time Camilla has stepped out in public since the claim about the attempted assault was reported on Sunday.

Camilla is said to have fought off a man who attempted to grope her on a train when she was a schoolgirl.

She is said to have hit the attacker with the heel of her shoe and reported the incident to the police, leading to his arrest.

Guto Harri, then the communications director for Boris Johnson during his time as London Mayor, stated that Camilla had told Johnson about the incident.

Mr Harri is quoted in Power and the Palace as saying: “The serious conversation they had was about her being the victim of an attempted sexual assault when she was a schoolgirl.

“She was on a train going to Paddington – she was about 16, 17 – and some guy was moving his hand further and further...”

Mr Harri said that after Mr Johnson asked what happened next: “She replied: ‘I did what my mother taught me to. I took off my shoe and whacked him in the nuts with the heel.’

“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.”

Queen Camilla has never shared the story publicly, but she is understood to recall it.