Queen Camilla expressed her support for the parole board's decision to keep a British Airways pilot who brutally murdered his wife behind bars, as she and King Charles hosted a garden party at Buckingham Palace today.
Queen Meets Domestic Abuse Campaigners
Camilla, 77, met with domestic abuse campaigner Hetti Barkworth-Nanton, a close friend of Joanna Simpson, 46, who was killed by her estranged husband Robert Brown at the family home in 2010. Her Majesty was inspired to use her platform to campaign against domestic abuse after meeting Joanna's mother, Diana Parkes, who also met privately with the Queen today.
Ms Barkworth-Nanton, who works closely with Mrs Parkes and serves on the board of Refuge, said she discussed the parole board's decision to deny Brown parole—announced on Monday—with the Queen. 'I was talking to her about the decision by the parole board,' she said. 'She thinks it is absolutely the right decision, she's delighted, particularly having read the decision summary. She's very supportive and always has been.'
She added of the campaign to prevent Brown's automatic release in 2023 after serving half his sentence: 'I've met the Queen on a number of occasions but I met her at an event at the palace in 2022. That was where I met Carrie Johnson and Carrie said, "Oh you must go and speak to the Queen." So we were talking to Her Majesty about how terrible it was that he was going to be automatically released the following year.'
Background of the Case
Robert Brown, now 61, killed 46-year-old Joanna Simpson within earshot of their young children in their family home in Ascot, Berkshire in 2010. The former airline captain bludgeoned her with a claw hammer before burying her body in Windsor Great Park.
'Everyone was very shocked and we knew we couldn't do anything about it,' Ms Barkworth-Nanton continued. 'After that, I started talking to Carrie, of course, because she was a Worboys victim [Mrs Johnson has spoken openly of being a victim of the taxi cab rapist], and we started to build a plan. And so it's sort of gone full circle.'
Queen Reunites with John Hunt
The Queen—wearing a striking monochrome outfit—was also reunited at the garden party with John Hunt, the BBC racing commentator, and his surviving daughter, Amy, whose family were brutally murdered in a crossbow and knife attack in July 2024. 'Lovely to get you here,' she told Mr Hunt. 'They let you escape from the races!'
Mr Hunt joked afterwards that he had given the Queen some 'top secret horse racing tips for Ascot', adding: 'I'm sworn to secrecy.' He said she had some potential runners at this weekend's York and Newbury races which they had discussed. 'I just reassured her, even if she couldn't be there, I'd be there for her,' he laughed. Asked whether the Queen has any good prospects, he replied: 'Potentially - they look nice, very nice.'
King Charles Engages with Guests
The King and Queen, supported by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, spent an hour greeting many of the 8,000 garden party guests who lined up to meet them. Multiple guests congratulated the King on his speeches during last month's successful US state visit.
The King chatted about cider farming with representatives from the Royal Countryside Fund and urged environmental activists to 'keep going.' Nick Henry, founder and CEO of Climate Action, said the monarch had expressed concern that the movement was 'losing momentum.' He added: 'He said it was an uphill battle and told me to stick with it. He asked whether businesses were on board but I had to tell him that they were less and less so, which he seemed to recognise.'
Tom Holland, the historian who hosts The Rest is History podcast, congratulated the King on his speech to Congress in Washington DC. 'Don't worry, we checked all the facts beforehand,' the monarch joked. Mr Holland said afterwards: 'I also congratulated him on some of his jokes, which I thought were excellent. He smiled in a modest yet regal way.'
