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Queen Camilla Hears Harrowing Survivor Story
23 Feb
Summary
- Queen Camilla met Gisele Pelicot, a survivor of extensive abuse.
- Pelicot's ex-husband was jailed for drugging and rape.
- A memoir detailing the abuse was discussed during tea at Clarence House.
Queen Camilla recently met with French rape survivor Gisele Pelicot for tea at her London residence, Clarence House. The meeting, held as Pelicot concluded her UK tour promoting her new memoir, "Hymn to Life: Shame Has to Change Sides," focused on Pelicot's harrowing experiences.
Her Majesty expressed being "speechless" upon learning about the extent of the abuse Pelicot endured over nearly a decade. Camilla, a known advocate against violence towards women, revealed she read the memoir in just two days, finding it impossible to put down and deeply shocking despite her experience with numerous survivor stories.
Gisele Pelicot's ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for drugging and raping her, and for facilitating assaults by other men while she was unconscious. The trial in Avignon concluded in December 2024, resulting in guilty verdicts for fifty men on rape or sexual offense charges. Pelicot bravely waived her anonymity, stating that shame should be directed at abusers, not victims.
Last year, Queen Camilla had privately written to Mme Pelicot, expressing "heartfelt admiration" for her "extraordinary dignity and courage." Pelicot shared that this letter left her "overwhelmed" and it is now a framed item in her office. The memoir's launch event in London featured readings by actresses Kate Winslet, Dame Kristin Scott Thomas, and Juliet Stevenson.
