Camilla undertakes first solo royal engagement as Queen Consort

Camilla, Queen Consorthas undertaken her first solo engagement in her new role.

The royal visited the maternity ward at Chelsea and Westminster hospital in London on Thursday, to continue work in the domestic violence sector started when she was Duchess of Cornwall

The Queen Consort met with frontline workers in the ward, which acts as a hub for women experiencing domestic abuse.

READ MORE: Princess Eugenie shares never seen wedding photo

On arrival, Her Majesty was welcomed by Colonel Jane Davis, Vice Lieutenant of Greater London, who introduced Queen Camilla to the Chief Medical Officer and deputy chief executive.

Once inside, the Queen Consort was introduced to health-based domestic abuse staff, including independent advisors.

READ MORE: The coronation of King Charles III: What we know so far

This was followed by a private meeting between the Queen Consort and several people who have used the service.

Queen Camilla, the Patron for domestic abuse charity SafeLives, then met with CEO and SafeLives "pioneer" trustee, Shana Begum, who survived 25 years of domestic violence.

The hospital's domestic abuse model is a working example of a coordinated community response - working in close partnership with specialist agencies Standing Together, Victim Support and Galop.

The aim is for any survivor coming through the organisation to be able to access confidential help, advice, and specialist advocacy to keep them and and their families safe. The service also offers users support with finances, housing and uptake of civil remedies.

"It's so nice to see everyone working together," the Queen Consort, wearing a navy Anna Valentine dress with white top stitching, told staff.

"I can see what a huge support system there is. Just seeing how it works here, it's about getting everyone together."

The issue of keeping domestic abuse sufferers safe is one the 75-year-old has been championing since marrying into the royal family 17 years ago, giving a number of passionate speeches over the years.

However, it became a key concern across the coronavirus lockdown periods.

Even as Duchess of Cornwall, when she looked towards her future role as Queen Consort, Camilla had always hoped to continue her work and raising awareness of the issue.

While guest editing Country Life magazine earlier this year, the then-Duchess took a look at the serious issues, exploring the "dark side" of country living in a feature article.

"However beautiful the countryside is — it's not all buttercups and daisies," Camilla wrote in the 244-page special edition issue.

"There are darker sides, so I wanted to put a little bit of emphasis on rising crime, on domestic abuse — all the things that are going on without people probably realising it".