The Queen has described social media as “terrifying” during a reception at Clarence House for the charity SafeLives.
Camilla, 77, made the remark while showing support to families affected by domestic abuse.
The Queen, who has been patron of SafeLives since 2020, hosted the event for the charity which aims to eradicate domestic abuse.
During the reception, she met with several families who have been personally impacted by domestic violence.
Among those the Queen met were Micala and Lee Trussler, the mother and stepfather of 15-year-old Holly Newton, who was stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend in January 2023.
The couple are campaigning for a change in the law so that people under 16 can be classed as victims of domestic abuse.
It is understood that the Queen was showing personal support for the family rather than expressing backing for a political campaign.
The Queen also spoke with Diana Parkes, whose daughter Joanna Simpson was killed in her family home by her estranged husband.
When Ms Parkes, who appeared on the ITV documentary The Queen: Behind Closed Doors, told Camilla that the scale of domestic abuse was “frightening”, the Queen agreed, adding: “And social media.”
After the Queen had departed, Parkes elaborated: “These young boys who don’t really know what they’re doing – and social media plays a huge part in all this.”
She continued: “The internet has been wonderful, but my god, it has done a lot of damage as well, let’s be honest.
The Queen’s comments come amid a renewed national conversation about the dangers of social media for young people.
This discussion has been fuelled by Netflix’s show “Adolescence”, which tells the story of a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering a female classmate.
The programme became the first streaming show to top the UK’s weekly TV ratings last week.
