York woman's shock at surprise award presented by Prince Charles

Rebecca Beattie from York, who has been a Young Ambassador for the Prince’s Trust, thought she was attending an event at Clarence House to celebrate its reaching its milestone of helping one million people.

Instead she found herself being interviewed by presenter Laura Whitmore - when half-way through Prince Charles walked in.

Ms Beattie, 32, survived domestic abuse to set up an ethical clothing company.

She had been with her ex-partner and father to her child, who physically abused her, for five years. When she decided to leave at the age of 24, he attacked her so badly that she needed facial reconstruction surgery. He was later jailed.

After she left hospital, she had to rebuild her life from scratch and in 2018, she joined the Prince’s Trust Enterprise Programme, which helps young people turn big ideas into business reality.

Five per cent of each sale from her Always B.U brand is donated to York-based Independent Domestic Abuse Services.

She said: “I was very shocked, it was very surreal. He started speaking about the work I do for the trust and how grateful he was.

“Then he started talking about my brand and the work I do with my brand.”

Towards the end of the conversation Prince Charles told her she had won the award.

“I was just extremely overwhelmed and blown away and genuinely for once lost for words,” she said.

She said her message to those suffering domestic abuse was "life after abuse does exist".

"I was brought home from hospital that day. I was told I was just wailing and screaming: 'This isn't me, this isn't my life'

"I remember thinking this is the end of my world. Little did I know it had only just begun.

"I do know it's very hard for people to leave - you think life will get worse.

"Life after abuse does exist. I want people to know everything is possible - it seems cliched but it really is."

The presentation forms part of this year’s Pride of Britain Awards, broadcast on ITV on November 1 at 9pm.

Host Carol Vorderman said, “Our winners are the perfect representation of the way the nation has pulled together in 2020.

"People have faced challenges unlike anything we could have imagined, but we have all helped each other through them, and that is what Pride of Britain is all about."