Camilla, the Queen Consort, has made her first public appearance since reports emerged that she stopped a man who groped her on a train when she was a teenager. She visited ShelterBox, the international disaster-relief charity, at its headquarters in Truro, Cornwall, to learn about the equipment the organisation uses in its work as patron.

ShelterBox says the charity has helped more than three million people displaced by conflict, natural disasters or climate-related crises across around 100 countries since it was founded in 2000. The Queen was shown the charity’s gear, including boxes that are no longer in use, and reflected on the scale of aid required in coming years.

A new book by Valentine Low, Power And The Palace: The Inside Story Of The Monarchy And 10 Downing Street, includes extracts about the assault. A source close to the Queen said that if the publication helps discuss the topic and reduces stigma, it could encourage other survivors to seek help. During the visit she gave an improvised speech at a plaque unveiling and recalled ShelterBox’s work during an official trip to Pakistan after an earthquake, joking about earlier moments with the charity’s volunteers. The day also included stops in Cornwall, including projects run by Cornwall Community Foundation, of which she is patron, and an opening of a new operations unit at Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust’s headquarters near Newquay, where the helicopter was named the Duke of Cornwall. The air ambulance has held the Queen’s patronage since 2009, and minutes after she departed its first helicopter was called out on a mission.