Queen Camilla met privately with French survivor Gisèle Pelicot at Clarence House on Monday, a meeting laden with symbolic weight given the British monarchy’s recent reckoning with sexual abuse scandals. Pelicot, 73, is promoting her memoir, A Hymn to Life: Shame Has to Change Sides, which details decades of horrific abuse by her ex-husband and his associates.
A Memoir That Shocked Even a Veteran Advocate
Camilla, who has publicly campaigned against domestic violence and sexual assault, stated she read Pelicot’s memoir in just two days. “I couldn’t put it down,” she said, adding that she had been left “speechless” after reading Pelicot’s account. This is significant because the Queen has met many survivors and thought she could no longer be shocked by the details of abuse.
Pelicot’s case is exceptional even by grim standards. Her ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for drugging and allowing dozens of men to rape her over nearly ten years. In December 2024, a French court found fifty men guilty of rape or sexual offenses linked to the case. The trial was historic because Pelicot chose to break her anonymity, arguing that the shame should fall on the abusers, not the victim.
Timing Matters: The Monarchy Under Scrutiny
This meeting comes at a tense moment for the royal family, which is still grappling with the fallout from the Andrew-Epstein scandal. The monarchy is under renewed pressure to demonstrate accountability and moral clarity regarding sexual abuse, particularly in light of past failures to adequately address allegations. Camilla’s embrace of Pelicot is interpreted by many as an attempt to show leadership on this issue.
A Movement Built on Resilience
Pelicot’s memoir launch on Friday at London’s Royal Festival Hall drew over 2,000 attendees and featured readings from actors Kate Winslet, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Juliet Stevenson. Pelicot noted she felt emboldened by the widespread support for her story. Camilla acknowledged this: “You have so much support,” she told Pelicot.
The meeting underscored the power of survivors speaking out and the growing demand for institutions to confront and address sexual violence with seriousness and empathy.
The Queen’s personal engagement with Pelicot’s story suggests a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths, though the full impact of this gesture remains to be seen.
