The Government and King Charles III’s household is under mounting pressure to abandon a long-held tradition of outfitting its royal guards with real fur hats. Campaigners have demanded the division stop issuing “bearskin” hats to serving troops, who can be seen standing on duty or parading through the city while donning the tall headpieces.
Among those leading the calls are celebrity figures, including Stephen Fry, who said in a recent video that the tradition is “never an excuse for cruelty”.
Bearskin hats are tall fur caps that first became popular for military use in Europe during the late 17th century and were adopted by British grenadiers in the 1800s.
But they have become controversial in recent years as animal rights groups object to the killings of black bears, whose fur is used to manufacture the caps.
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Aside from serving soldiers, King Charles III and other Royal Family members have also donned the caps during select ceremonies in which they are required to wear military garb.
Mr Fry has called on the UK Government to ban the purchase of black bear fur from hunters in Canada.
He has joined a campaign by animal rights pressure group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), narrating a video documenting how the animals are “mercilessly killed” for their fur.
Speaking over footage taken from an undercover PETA operative showing the bears being baited and shot, the actor and broadcaster said the bears aren’t always killed on-site and suffer for some time before dying.
He said: “By continuing to purchase caps made of black bear fur, the UK government drives demand for pelts and effectively incentivises hunters.”
Kate Werner, a PETA spokeswoman, said in a statement that the Government is “sponsoring bait-and-kill sport hunting of mothers and other bears”.
But a Ministry of Defence spokesman defended the practice, stating the department has not found an alternative that can “meet the standards required to provide an effective replacement for the bearskin ceremonial caps”.
