Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall spoke about domestic violence in Bahrain

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Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall spoke about domestic violence in Bahrain

by katemiddletonreview50 Comments on Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall spoke about domestic violence in Bahrain

I never got around to covering the rest of Prince Charles‘ and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall‘s tour to Oman, The United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain (I covered the first few days here). Rebecca English at the Daily Mail joined the royal couple on tour and got some excellent quotes from Camilla as she addressed the issue of ‘female empowerment’ in the region.

Speaking at a reception in the British Embassy in the Bahranian capital of Manama, Camilla spoke of the seismic changes she has seen in the region since she first visited nine years ago:

    “I have seen a huge change since then, especially here and in the UAE [United Arab Emirates], you can see how they have really progressed. They [the women] have got a lot of the top jobs now, they are highly respected and they are working alongside the men.”

Camilla was given an all-female team of bodyguards – who are trained in martial arts and close quarters fighting techniques as well as defensive and evasive maneuvers – while in the UAE. Camilla said of the team:

    “It’s fascinating. It is quite extraordinary to have them. I have never had four women looking after me [and] they are the most incredible women. The first one had climbed Everest. I said ‘how long did it take?’ and she said 16 days! It’s quite remarkable.”

On the penultimate day of the tour, Camilla visited the Supreme Council for Women – which consists of sixteen women from a wide range of backgrounds who work with the Bahraini government and ensure that the status of women is given due prominence. Government ministries are required to consult with the Council before taking any decisions that might impact women and since its creation in 2001 Bahraini women have obtained the right to vote and participate in elections.

Camilla spoke to dozens of women in various fields such as : the judiciary, the media, aviation and engineering, academics, and medicine, as well as the country’s first ever Paralympic medalist, Fatima Nizam, who won gold in the shotput at Rio. Camilla spoke of the impression the visit left on her, saying:

    “They have caught up with everything here. I remember saying before how clever the ladies out here were but they are so well educated and such clever people. They are happy and have very high powered jobs. And they juggle four or five children as well. I don’t know how they do it.”

On the final day of the tour, Camilla visited the Dar Al Amam Women’s Refuge Centre in Bahrain. At the refuge, Camilla also spoke to workers involved in helping women who have suffered abuse in the home, and earlier in the week Camilla met child victims of physical abuse and trafficking during a visit to The Dubai Foundation for Women and Children.

During a round table discussion, Camilla asked about how many convictions there had been in court and was told that most women are encouraged to try mediation. Camilla then asked:

    “What if there has been a great deal of violence or indeed death, which happens in the UK. I think we have as many as two deaths per week as a result of domestic violence.”

Camilla also asked if there is a helpline in the country. Camilla was told that, currently, family cases go to the main judicial court in Manama but plans are in place to create a family court. To which Camilla said: “I hope it happens quickly.” Camilla then asked:

    “These women, victims of domestic abuse, are they able to tell their story so it can be published in the media because the more people that read about it, the more others come out of the shadows and talk about it themselves.”

She was told that the issue is a sensitive one and that women are encouraged to hide their identity to tell their story.

Afterward, Huda Ebrahim Al Mahmood, director of the refuge, said of Camilla:

    “I was really impressed by her interest. She is really keen to know about experiences. Her comments and questions were very interesting and encouraging. It makes us more open. The UK are advanced in this and they have a lot of experience. I am impressed by her humbleness. She made us feel open and able to talk, she is such a nice person.”

You can read the full article at the Daily Mail.

The photos of Camilla in tan are from her November 11 visit to Dal Al Aman Woman’s Refuge Centre. The photo of Camilla in silver is from a November 10 reception at the British Embassy in Bahrain, and the photo of Camilla in white with gold embroidery is from a November 7 ‘UK/UAE Year of Creative Collaboration Launch’ in United Arab Emirates.


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50 thoughts on “Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall spoke about domestic violence in Bahrain”

  1. I love how we got actual quotes from Camilla. I think she handled this sensitive issue very well, and I respect her for showing interest in it even in a society in which it has traditionally not been spoken of very much. I also love how she gave recognition to women who can combine family life with a succesful career.

  2. Camilla is a fantastic Royal Family representative – intelligent and relevant feedback questions and input. What she wears is if interest but much less so than what she does and says. The next generation have a lot to learn – unfortunately they don’t seem interested. I have hopes for Harry – his brother (and wife) not so much.

    1. Oz, I agree with you. Camilla is so prepared and so well spoken regarding the issues that pertain to the causes that she champions. I really am impressed by her and wish for more relevant reports on all she is doing.

    4. Completely off topic, but i was looking at CH’s twitter which is where this image came from, and found a ‘Happy Birthday’tweet from KP to Charles.

      What struck me was the accompanying images of Harry and Kate. Given what we know of the difficult relationship, it’s a glaring omission.

      https://mobile.twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/798136452429344768

      Further, both images of Kate and Harry used to accompany the tweet have cropped out William who was in those pictures and or at the same events

      Here are the pics from the events….

      https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=prince+charles+prince+harry+prince+william+invictus&client=tablet-android-samsung&prmd=inv&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiMjfmR7arQAhXFnBoKHVEDDa8Q_AUIBygB&biw=768&bih=1024#imgrc=8PcYfwzT5e4AtM%3A

      https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=prince+Charles+kate+middleton+prince+william+harewood&client=tablet-android-samsung&prmd=inmv&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj_hoau7arQAhWECBoKHdsZDK8Q_AUIBygB&biw=768&bih=1024#tbm=isch&q=prince+Charles+kate+middleton+prince+william+dumfries&imgrc=mVPh-MdLVi3ozM%3A

      1. Herzeus, will you say more about the difficult relationship you’re talking about? Between William and Charles you mean? I don’t get the omission you’re talking about since William is in the second picture if you click on it.

        But I have another question that you may be able to help with too. On the day that Harry was publicly tested for HIV, Camilla gave what I thought was a pretty significant speech on domestic violence in London. Why doesn’t the BRF coordinate these things centrally so that they don’t step all over each other? What Harry did was awesome, for sure, but I felt so bad for Camilla, who had clearly put a great deal of planning and effort into what was billed as a first of some kind for her too. And it hardly registered at all since people were falling all over Harry.

        Can you shed any light on this?

        I love everything about what Camilla did and said on this trip, especially that picture with the bodyguards–I saw elsewhere someone said it looked like an advertisement for a new superhero film. Indeed!

      2. Thanks for sharing. I am tired of the Cambridges especially making themselves front and center rather than Charles or whoever it is that they are talking about. But if you click on that Twitter image of Charles and Kate, it does expand to include William–I think it was just so wide an image they had trouble cropping it appropriately to fit the tweet pop-up frame. Odd that they don’t have other candid shots of all of them together.

        1. Didn’t click on the image. You guys are right.

          I thought it so odd given that William is in both original images that he appeared to have been cropped out.

          William’s relationship with Charles is polite enough, but not warm and fuzzy plus he ( william) has distanced himself from all things royal preferring to spend time with the Middletons to whom he is very close.

          None of this is either Charles OR the Middletons’ fault. It’s simply what William prefers.

          In terms of how the engagements work, you have 3 rival courts in operation at the moment. KP, CH and BP though CH and BP have been working better as a team due to Charles’s behind the scenes take over.

          A few years back he took over KP as well such that he had overall control of all 3 courts, but it was short-lived because William didn’t like it.

          Independently of formal arrangements, we know that Harry communicates with CH and BP. William keeps the other 2 on a strictly need to know basis.

          As for media overshadowing, this is down to news editors’ choices. Harry sells whilst Camilla doesn’t. It’s a choice the editors continually make where all the royals are concerned even on days when only one royal has an engagement. It’s rarely about highlighting issues.

          1. Herazeus, thank you for your always informative replies.

            Em, I am with you, I would have LOVED to have seen a photo of Charles with his grandkids. How darling that would be.

          2. I doubt there are many pics of Charles and his grandkids because he’s not Carole or Mike Middleton. I don’t know why but I get the vibe he never sees them, and the kids are pretty much only involved with Kate’s family, as that is how William and Kate both want it.

            Sad, because Charles clearly longed to be a grandfather and would be so doting and loving to those two. No matter what one says despite his devotion to duty he was an excellent father and clearly loves his children. The letters he wrote in the 80s gushing about how ecstatic he was to have babies are lovely.

          1. I would love to see Charles and grandkids. I bet he would actually be a wonderful grandfather. I don’t know what happened to William but it seems that he’s so far removed from the BRF, only engaging with them when he has to, I find it sad.
            I love seeing Anne and Peter’s family out supporting Zara in her horse trials.

          5. It is actually quite abnormal that there are no photos with Charles and the grandkids at this point. If William wants to normalize his family that is the first thing he should do. No one cares about the Middletons except for him and if he keeps shutting out his father regarding his kids, the public is going to turn on William even more. The older Charles gets, the crueler it is to stop him from publicly seeing his grandkids.

      3. If you click on the individual photo, William is in the first one with Kate.

        Edit: never mind me; this has already been stated.

      4. Very interesting, since there were great pics with William they could have used. Of course, it could just be usual KP incompetence…

    5. That photo is wonderful! What a great way for Camilla to show–to put into action–that women are capable of doing awesome work!

      And that’s what I like about Charles and Camilla–that they show actual faith in the causes that they support.

  4. Good on Camilla. I think she looks good, and also appropriate, in all of these pics.

    BTW, Pierre and Beatrice are having a baby 🙂

    1. I love her outfits. They are appropriate for this tour & she looks comfortable & elegant. Best of all both Charles & Camilla are loving & supportive of each other. They are the best representatives of the BRF.

  5. Kudos to Cam for continuing this conversation. These issues have different impacts all over the world. She obviously understands the cultural narrative around domestic violence. This is a perfect example of knowing both the topic and audience.

    Btw, she looks amazing in that second to last picture! Thanks for this roundup, KMR!

    1. Rhiannon, welcome back! I missed your (and jen’s) love ly comments. I was beginning to think that you might actually be Meghan as you disappeared when all the hoopla hit =)

      1. I was thinking (hoping!!) the same thing! Either Rhiannon was Meghan, or the Meghan thing was a big distraction to keep rhiannnon & harry a secret ?

  6. This is eye opening since so often we see the Middle East falling behind and not moving ahead in regards to social issues and human rights. It is good and comforting to know that despite the region’s conflicts and troubles, progress is happening in certain countries. Let’s hope that this will be the future we can look forward to.

    I always enjoy Charles and Camillas tours. They do events together and separately and always seem to be having a good time and to be well informed.

  7. I love hearing about Charles & Camilla tours. In this coverage Camilla is at her very best I think, such a worthy cause to lend her support. I am going to comment about what she is wearing as she looks fabulous! the bodyguard pic is great! thank you KMR

  8. I love Camilla’s causes. I’m getting excited because I love her holiday party (I believe for terminally ill children?) where she had a soldier put an ornament with his sword!
    She a,ways seems so engaged during her events.

  9. Camilla’s the best! She looks very genuine about how she interects with people and most important she seems very connected with the cause. I don’t know why but everytime I see Camilla I want to hug her, she seems a warm and affectionate woman.

  10. It’s often difficult for older women to find a style that’s flattering and appropriate, but Camilla really nails it. She looks elegant, cool yet modest. I love the outfits for this trip.

    1. She always has wonderful style when they visit the Middle East, the best of any Western royal to me. It is basically the same outfit done 8 different ways, all of which are lovely and appropriate.

  11. Agree with all the praise, both about her championing of a cause that needs a spotlight, and her great fashion choices.

  12. Camilla comes prepared and almost always seems very relaxed and engaged. Okay she was a little freaked out at the falcon clinic, but that was okay, she eventually calmed down enough to hold one.

    I love that she’s found styles that work for her and while she sticks with them the looks don’t get old. I think it’s because she’s very comfortable in her skin and it isn’t about what she’s wearing, but what she’s doing.

    The photo with the female bodyguards is indeed epic. Can’t wait to see the photos from her Christmas party.

    1. I mean, I would be freaked out at the falcon clinic, too. So no shade at Camilla for that from me.

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