UK’s Queen Camilla sent a private letter of support to French rape survivor Gisèle Pelicot, recognising her “extraordinary dignity and courage”, reported Newsweek quoting a palace aide.
“She was tremendously affected by the Madame Pelicot case in France and that lady’s extraordinary dignity and courage as she put herself in the public eye,” a palace source was quoted as saying by the news outlet. “Because, as she rightly put it, why should she be made to feel like a victim or hide away in shame?”, the source added.
According to Newsweek, The Queen wanted to reach out personally to acknowledge Pelicot’s resilience and the impact she has made in highlighting a significant societal issue.
“So, as a long-term supporter of survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, the Queen wrote to Madame Pelicot privately. It was very much her instigation and determination to write to express support from the highest level,” the source said.
Pelicot, 72, endured nearly a decade of horrific abuse at the hands of her former husband, Dominique Pelicot, who drugged, raped, and filmed her, while also enlisting dozens of other men to do the same.
The abuse, which occurred between 2011 and 2020, was uncovered when Dominique was caught filming women up their skirts in a supermarket. Upon investigation, authorities discovered a hard drive containing over 200 videos documenting the crimes.
Dominique Pelicot was sentenced to 20 years in prison in December 2024 after standing trial alongside 50 co-defendants, most of whom were also convicted of rape or sexual assault. The scale of the abuse made it France’s largest-ever rape trial, drawing widespread media attention.
Gisèle Pelicot made headlines for waiving her anonymity and choosing to face her 51 alleged rapists in court. She explained her decision as an effort to make the “shame swap sides”, ensuring that perpetrators, not victims, carried the stigma of sexual violence. Her bravery earned her praise across France and internationally, with supporters lining up outside the court to applaud her and present her with flowers, BBC reported.
Queen Camilla has been an active advocate against domestic and sexual violence for years. In November, ITV aired a documentary following her campaign work, where she urged for a cultural shift to end violence against women and open conversations on abuse.
She has also visited numerous charities supporting survivors. In February, she visited Brave Spaces in Exeter, England, which is a two-year test and learn project and supports women facing multiple disadvantages, homelessness, trauma, and domestic and sexual violence. There she met women rebuilding their lives after domestic violence.
“The Queen is a great advocate for women,” Newsweek quoted Afnan Tellesy, 37, after meeting Camilla at the charity.