King Charles is “really thrilled to be out” as he returns to royal duties, having taken a step back during his cancer convalescence, said Queen Camilla who added: “I’ve been trying to hold him back”
Camilla said the King was “really thrilled to be out” this week but admitted: “I’ve been trying to hold him back”.
The Queen told guests at Buckingham Palace event to recognise people who support victims of sexual assault. The 76-year-old, praised those behind the relaunch of a “wash bag” scheme for sexual assault victims for believing in the “kindness of strangers”. Camilla hosted the organisations at reception on Wednesday and recounted a mother’s story about her daughter who received a “wonderful bag of toiletries” that “lifted our moods” after a forensic examination following an attack.
Among the guests were Health Secretary Victoria Atkins, Home Secretary James Cleverly, former prime minister Theresa May and Jess Phillips, a former shadow minister for domestic violence and safeguarding, alongside representatives from police forces, health services and others connected with the issue.
Camilla also thanked guests Cherie Blair and Carrie Johnson “standing up and committing yourselves to bringing an end to these heinous crimes”. The reception was relaunch The Wash Bag Project, which provides a wash bag of toiletries, donated by Boots and distributed by In Kind Direct, to people who have been affected by rape and sexual abuse.
But the Queen gave an update on the King’s health coming 24 hours after he returned to public-facing front-line duty with a visit to University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre. Speaking to Teresa Tideman, chairman of In Kind Direct, the Queen said: “I think he was really thrilled to be out. I’ve been trying to hold him back.” Highlighting organisations supporting victims of rape and sexual assault has been a cause close to the Queen’s heart for more than a decade.
The Wash Bags Scheme was inspired by the Queen when she was Duchess of Cornwall in 2013 after hearing shock tales of rape and sexual abuse from survivors during visits to Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs). The Wash Bag Project has now teamed up with In Kind Direct, a charity founded by the King in 1996.
Among the 300 guests were charities, police forces, health services and heroes from centres the Queen has seen front-line work such as Rape Crisis South London, The Women’s Centre Cornwall, The Havens, Croydon RASASC, and the Mirabel Centre in Nigeria. The bags – containing toothpaste, toothbrush, body lotion, shower gel, shampoo, comb, and face cloth – are given to victims after they have been forensically examined.
TV star Zara McDermott, who fronted a BBC documentary Uncovering Rape Culture, said: “The forensic can feel really invasive and traumatic so having something that’s makes them feel a lot more normal and human after that is very very important. It’s quite a simple idea. It makes such a difference to someone who has been through a traumatic time. I know it’s a passion project for the Queen”
