Queen says she stands by survivors of sexual violence

Queen Camilla has sent a message of support for survivors of sexual violence, saying: "We stand with you and alongside you, today and every day, in solidarity, sorrow and sympathy."

The comments, in a speech marking International Women's Day, will be seen by some as a reference to the victims of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

"To every survivor of every kind of violence, many of whom have not been able to tell their stories or who have not been believed, please know that you are not alone," she told a reception at St James's Palace.

Among the guests at the reception were Dame Helen Mirren, Miriam Margolyes, Sandi Toksvig and Lady Cherie Blair, at an event for the Women of the World group, which campaigns for an "equal and inclusive future".

The speech did not directly refer to Epstein - or to the King's brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, whose titles have been removed as a result of his association with the US sex offender.

And Mountbatten-Windsor has always denied any wrongdoing.

But the Queen's speech will be seen as a sign of support for women around the world who have been the victims of abuse.

"When we live in a culture of silence, we empower violence against women and girls," she said.

Her speech also called for more positive influences on young men, including in social media.

"It is in the online space where boys and young men absorb many of the values they will carry through until adulthood.

"If misogyny and hatred are not confronted here and now, then we will face far greater issues in the future," she told her audience.

Queen Camilla has been a longstanding campaigner on the issue of violence against women and girls, visiting women's refuges and challenging taboos about talking about domestic violence.

She has talked about being assaulted on a train when she was a teenager, telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme the experience had left her "so angry" and "furious".

It also emerged that the Queen had written a personal letter to the French rape survivor Gisèle Pelicot, who had been repeatedly drugged and raped by her then-husband.

The Queen had told Ms Pelicot that she had "inspired women across the globe" and "created a powerful legacy that will change the narrative around shame, forever" - and in her speech on Tuesday, Queen Camilla spoke about being inspired by Ms Pelicot.

Before becoming Queen, Camilla had spoken of her shock at the murder of Sarah Everard and had warned of a culture in which it seemed "violence against women is normal".

Two years ago, at another reception for International Women's Day, the Queen showed guests stones that had been thrown by suffragettes in 1914 at the windows of Buckingham Palace.

They had been kept by Queen Mary, the great-grandmother of King Charles.

Camilla had told the guests: "Let your lives be the stones that will shatter glass ceilings everywhere and inspire generations to come."