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The Duchess of Cornwall has been praised by a panellist on Channel 5’s Jeremy Vine programme for taking on a “much bigger role” in tackling issues such as sexual violence after she took to the stage yesterday to deliver a powerful speech. Journalist Mike Parry noted that Camilla is taking the place of the late Princess Diana, who he labelled “the most famous woman in the world“. Princess Diana, Prince Charles’ first wife, and was renowned for her humanitarian work and activism.
The 74-year-old duchess spoke at a reception for the Shameless! Festival at the Wellcome Collection on Wednesday evening, delivering a passionate speech in support of survivors of sexual violence.
Speaking earlier today, Mike Parry said: “I think there’s an element here of Camilla warming up for the role she’s going to eventually inherit.
“She’s going to become Consort to Prince Charles, Charles will one day be king and she’s taking a much bigger role in these sort of issues and I support her for it.
Co-host Claudia-Liza Vanderpuije interjected to say: “You don’t really see high-profile members of the Royal Family speaking out at this level.”
READ MORE: Camilla praised for ‘going where female celebs fear to tread’ with ‘powerful’ speech
Mr Parry continued: “Kate does, Kate does this sort of thing and she is trying to imitate Kate. Remember, she’s got to take the place of the world’s most famous woman, Diana Princess of Wales, so she’s got to up her profile.
“I’m not criticising her, I’m supporting her, I think she should have a bigger role.”
The late Princess Diana was renowned for her humanitarian work in helping victims of HIV/AIDS, landmines and was closely associated with a number of cancer charities. Her sudden death in 1997 sparked unprecedented worldwide mourning, and a number of her charities are still associated with the Royal Family.
The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles’ second wife, first began advocating for survivors of sexual abuse after visiting nine rape crisis centres in 2009.
In her latest speech, she called for men to be “on board” in tackling sexual violence and questioned if society had been “indoctrinated into believing that violence against women is normal”.
Speaking in front of an audience that included Carrie Johnson, the Prime Minister’s wife, she said: “Together, today, let us resolve to support survivors to be ‘shameless’ and not to take on misplaced feelings of stigma. Through speaking up about our experiences, we break the wall of silence that allows perpetrators to go unpunished; and increases the feeling of isolation that so many survivors describe.
“Secondly, we need to get the men in our lives involved in this movement. We do not, in any way, hold all men responsible for sexual violence. But we do need them all on board to tackle it. After all, rapists are not born, they are constructed.
“It takes an entire community – male and female – to dismantle the lies, words and actions that foster a culture in which sexual assault is seen as normal, and in which it shames the victim. So let us all leave here today and try and get the men in our lives to participate in building a ‘shameless’ society.”
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Over the last decade, the Duchess has opened a number of rape crisis centres and dometic abuse shelters, including The Rowan in Northern Ireland and the Oakwood Place Essex Sexual Assault Referral Centre.
In September, she was named as patron of the Mirabel Centre, Nigeria’s first sexual assault referral centre.
In recent years, Camilla has improved her popularity with the British public and is now regarded as one of the most reliable members of the Royal Family.
She is a patron to over 100 charities and organisations, and has been recognised for her work in raising awareness of osteoporosis, animal welfare and literacy.
It was announced ahead of her marriage to Prince Charles in 2005 that she would be known as the Princess Consort upon his succession to the throne, however, this statement has now been deleted from the Clarence House website.
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