Her Majesty The Queen was accompanied by former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell-Horner on a poignant visit to a cancer support charity in Gloucestershire this Wednesday afternoon. The royal engagement saw Camilla arriving at the Maggie's centre in Cheltenham to commemorate the organisation's significant 30th anniversary milestone.
A Dual Focus on Vital Support Services
Earlier in the day, The Queen had undertaken a separate but equally important visit to a domestic abuse support centre, where she expressed profound gratitude to staff working with victims of violence. This dual focus on both cancer care and domestic abuse support highlighted Her Majesty's commitment to addressing critical health and social issues facing communities across the nation.
Marking Three Decades of Cancer Support
At Maggie's Cheltenham, The Queen, who has served as president of the charity since 2008, met with NHS staff, centre personnel, and individuals living with cancer to understand firsthand how the organisation provides essential support. During the visit, Camilla unveiled a portrait of herself created by artist Eileen Hogan and was briefed on the centre's recently revamped garden space.
Geri Halliwell-Horner participated as a special guest due to her established support for Maggie's charitable work. The former pop star joined The Queen in conversations with those benefiting from the centre's services, which include free psychological, emotional, and practical support for anyone affected by cancer, with no appointment necessary for drop-in sessions.
Royal Connections to Cancer Treatment
The visit carried particular resonance given recent royal health developments. Just over a month prior, King Charles III, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2024, shared encouraging news that his treatment schedule was being reduced in the new year, describing this development as a 'personal blessing'. Additionally, The Princess of Wales, diagnosed with cancer nearly two years ago, announced she was in remission at the beginning of 2025.
Maggie's, which opened its first centre in the grounds of Edinburgh's Western General Hospital in 1996, now operates 27 locations across the country. The Queen has personally visited 18 of these centres during her tenure as president, demonstrating her sustained commitment to the organisation's mission.
Earlier Focus on Domestic Abuse Support
Before her cancer charity engagement, The Queen spent time at the Gloucestershire Domestic Abuse Support Services (GDASS) centre, whose exact location remains confidential for security reasons. Camilla expressed admiration for the innovative approaches developed by staff to assist victims discreetly.
Innovative Safety Measures
During her tour, The Queen examined everyday handbag items including hand sanitisers and trolley coins that conceal the emergency contact number for GDASS within their barcodes. These discreet items can be given to individuals experiencing or at risk of domestic violence, allowing them to seek help without detection when they feel ready to do so.
Camilla learned about the various methods the service uses to reach those in need, including strategically placed posters in toilets and doctors' surgeries alongside the innovative handbag items. 'You never know when women might need to contact you,' The Queen remarked during her visit.
Comprehensive Support Services
The Queen was introduced to the full spectrum of GDASS's work, ranging from initial assessment teams for women seeking help to specialists who assist with rehousing and coordinate with public agencies including police, justice, and healthcare systems. The organisation even prepares backpacks containing clothes and essential items for children who may need to flee to safety with their mothers.
Heather Downer, Domestic Abuse Services Manager for Green Square Accord, which provides emergency accommodation in the region, explained that GDASS receives approximately 11,000 referrals annually, a number that continues to increase each year. She described domestic abuse as 'a huge pandemic of morbidity' affecting one in three women and one in six men.
The Queen's Personal Address
In an impromptu address to staff, Camilla expressed her admiration for their coordinated approach: 'Thank you to all of you for what you do for domestic abuse. I can't get over how organised and joined-up you are here. I hope all the counties will be following your example.'
The Queen continued: 'It's so important to have everyone working together. It's no good people being fragmented all over the place, you've got to work to try and counteract the domestic abuse we are seeing at the moment. Because more people are talking about it we obviously think more of it is going on, but I suspect that in the past it was hidden.'
Camilla concluded with words of encouragement: 'Thanks to all you people here that we are actually going to hopefully eradicate it in the future. Please keep on doing the good work.'
Downer praised The Queen's visit as 'an amazing way to honour the staff and the work they do,' noting that Camilla's advocacy within the violence against women and girls agenda made her recognition particularly meaningful for the dedicated team.
