Queen Consort Camilla has hosted a reception at Buckingham Palace with guests including Spice Girl Mel B, Queen Rania of Jordan and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark.
Camilla, 75, held the event in London today to raise awareness of violence against women and girls, as part of the United Nations’ 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.
The reception was attended by around 300 people including survivors and their families, as well as famous faces including television presenter Lorraine Kelly, reality TV star Zara McDermott as well as Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska.
Queen Mathilde of Belgium, the First Lady of Sierra Leone, as well as the Countess of Wessex, and former prime minister Boris Johnson’s wife Carrie and his sister Rachel Johnson were also present.
Queen Consort Camilla has hosted a reception at Buckingham Palace with guests including Spice Girl Mel B, Queen Rania of Jordan and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark. Pictured, Sophie Wessex, Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Camilla, Rania, Mary
Camilla, 75, held the event in London today to raise awareness of violence against women and girls, as part of the United Nations’ 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. Pictured, the royal with Mel B (left) and Zara McDermott (right)
The guests also included politicians and charity representatives from SafeLives, Women’s Aid and Refuge.
Camilla – who made a powerful speech at the event – spoke with Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Health Secretary Steve Barclay in the white drawing room of the palace.
Dressed in her signature leopard print, former Spice Girl Melanie Brown, who was made an MBE for her work with domestic violence charity Women’s Aid, was seen chatting to Camilla, who opted to wear an elegant white frock.
The Queen Consort also spoke to TV personality Zara McDermott – who has spoken previously of her efforts to end the scourge of ‘revenge porn’.
The reception was attended by around 300 people including survivors and their families, as well as famous faces including television presenter Lorraine Kelly, reality TV star Zara McDermott as well as Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska
Queen Mathilde of Belgium, the First Lady of Sierra Leone, as well as the Countess of Wessex , and former prime minister Boris Johnson’s wife Carrie and his sister Rachel Johnson were also present. Pictured, the royal with Mel B
The guests also included politicians and charity representatives from SafeLives, Women’s Aid and Refuge
Last month, in what could be seen as an indication of how important the issue is to Camilla, she used her first solo engagement in her new royal title to meet domestic abuse workers at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.
All of Camilla’s Queen’s companions – who were announced at the weekend – appeared publicly with her for the first time at the reception.
Buckingham Palace has said the 75-year-old will have six Queen’s companions, not traditional ladies-in-waiting, who are all trusted friends and will support her as she carries out her key official and state duties.
Yesterday, Camilla hosted Queen Rania and Princess Mary at Clarence House ahead of the reception.
Camilla looked effortlessly elegant in a blue dress when appearing in a photograph alongside the two other royal ladies.
Yesterday, Camilla hosted Queen Rania and Princess Mary at Clarence House ahead of the reception
Appearing equally sophisticated, Rania, 52, opted for a teal frock with gem encrusted cuffs and matching heels, while Australian-born Mary, 50, looked picture perfect in a monochrome check skirt, paired with a black blouse.
The photograph of Rania, Camilla and Mary, who is married to the heir to the Danish throne Crown Prince of Denmark Frederik, was shared to Instagram by the Queen of Jordan.
‘A lovely afternoon with Her Majesty Queen Consort Camilla and Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary of Denmark,’ Rania’s caption read.
Meanwhile, Ms Zelenska said it ‘means a lot’ to have been invited to the palace event.
Speaking to the PA news agency through a translator, she said it is important that the democratic world unites in the face of violence against women and girls.
She said many rapes had been committed since the invasion of Ukraine.
‘It means a lot to be here,’ Ms Zelenska said. ‘We now face a huge amount of rapes of Ukrainian women and children by Russian soldiers.
‘This afternoon I will have the honour to speak in front of the Parliament of the UK. The youngest victim of rape (in Ukraine) is four and eldest is 85.
‘When the efforts of the democratic world unite to combat challenges like this, it always gives hope that we will win.’
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