MPs Urge Government to Replace King's Guard Bearskin Caps with Fake Fur
2 sources · United Kingdom
Who reported this
- The Independent
- Sky News
What the colours mean
- Left
- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
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A cross-party group of parliamentarians is calling on the government to replace the real bear pelts used in the hats of the King's Guard with faux fur alternatives. In a letter to defence minister Luke Pollard, 18 MPs and one peer from the Labour, Liberal Democrat, and Green parties argued that the use of Canadian bearskin is impossible to justify and fails to meet modern ethical standards. The group requested that the Ministry of Defence suspend further orders of real bearskins while working with manufacturers to develop a suitable synthetic replacement.
The Ministry of Defence stated that it supports replacing the caps with a faux fur alternative, provided the material passes five specific tests. The department also expressed a willingness to resume work with the animal rights group Peta, which has campaigned against the caps through petitions and legal action. Data obtained by Peta via freedom of information laws indicates that orders for the caps rose from 22 in 2024 to 96 in 2025.
The tradition of wearing bearskin caps began after the battle of Waterloo in 1815 to make soldiers appear more intimidating. While a previous Conservative government claimed no synthetic material met the necessary standards, the current government has indicated its support for a transition to faux fur.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- The reporting emphasized the ethical arguments regarding animal cruelty and provided specific details on the political affiliations of the MPs and the increase in cap orders.
- Centre
- The reporting focused on the core request of the MPs to replace the pelts with fake alternatives.
Sources
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