The Duchess of Cornwall shares an emotional plea as husband Charles catches coronavirus
Using her power for good.
Using her power for good.
This week, Royal officials confirmed that the current heir to the throne of United Kingdom, Prince Charles, has tested positive for coronavirus, the pandemic currently sweeping the globe.
Following the revelation and the confirmation that he and his wife, Camilla, will be self isolating together at their home in Scotland, the Duchess of Cornwall spoke out to urge any women who are having to isolate with an abusive partner to seek help, where possible.
Taking to Twitter, she posted on the official Clarence House account encouraging any women in vulnerable positions to look for aid, sharing: 'This is a hard time for everyone, as we are all asked to stay at home to stay safe. But for some of you it is even harder, because home is not a safe place.'
'I can only imagine that being asked to stay there could feel very isolating and frightening for you and your family. It may mean spending more time with the person who is harming you.'
'If this is your situation, or you are worried about someone else, I want you to know that you are not alone.'
Offering an action point for anyone suffering, she added: 'Even if you cannot leave your home, you can call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline or contact one of the domestic violence charities. Please stay safe and get help.'
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She ended her plea by telling any individual in immediate danger to call 999 and ask for the police—as soon as they can.
This comes the same week as the Royal couple asked fans not to send 'get well soon' gifts to their home, as their usual correspondence will be 'delayed' due to the Prince's illness.
As Charles's wife, Camilla has used her platform to speak out about such issues previously. Earlier this year, Camilla, 72, delivered a moving speech at the Women of the World festival, where she called domestic abuse a 'heinous' act that has a 'corrosive' effect. She has been president of the organisation, which works to encourage self-reliance in forcibly displaced women, including refugee, asylee, and immigrant women and girls, since 2015, and has been working with them since 2010.
At the festival, she shared: 'I find it almost impossible to think that any friend of mine might be living under that horrific threat, without my knowing it, but that is the power of coercive control and violence in the home. It is characterised by silence – silence from those that suffer – silence from those around them, and silence from those who perpetrate abuse.'
'If this is your situation, or you are worried about someone else, I want you to know that you are not alone. Even if you cannot leave your home, you can call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline or contact one of the domestic violence charities. Please stay safe and get help.'
'This silence is corrosive; it leaves women, children and men carrying the burden of shame. It prevents them from speaking out about the abuse and it prevents them from getting help. And at its worst it can be fatal.'
Keen to help and do your part? The Duchess has asked for awareness to be raised around the 'taboo' issue by using the hashtag #everyonesproblem—the first one she has ever coined.
Ally Head is Marie Claire UK's Senior Health, Sustainability, and Relationships Editor, nine-time marathoner, and Boston Qualifying runner. Day-to-day, she works across site strategy, features, and e-commerce, reporting on the latest health updates, writing the must-read health and wellness content, and rounding up the genuinely sustainable and squat-proof gym leggings worth *adding to basket*. She's won a BSME for her sustainability work, regularly hosts panels and presents for events like the Sustainability Awards, and is a stickler for a strong stat, too, seeing over nine million total impressions on the January 2023 Wellness Issue she oversaw. Follow Ally on Instagram for more or get in touch.
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