Animal rights group targets cost of King’s Guards’ bearskin caps

An animal rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), has renewed its efforts to remove real fur from the bearskin caps worn by the King’s Guards at Buckingham Palace. On Thursday, PETA criticized the rising cost of the ceremonial garb, as the price of each cap surged by 30% in just a year, now costing over 2,000 pounds ($2,600) apiece.

Rising costs of bearskin caps

According to the Ministry of Defense, the caps’ price increased from 1,560 pounds ($2,035) in 2022 to 2,040 pounds ($2,660) in 2023, with over 1 million pounds ($1.3 million) spent on the caps over the last decade. The price increase was attributed to a contract change for the bear fur, which is sourced from bears killed in licensed hunts in Canada. Each cap requires one bear pelt.

PETA’s push for faux fur

PETA has been advocating for over two decades to replace real bear fur with faux fur. In a recent statement, the group urged the military to stop using taxpayer money for caps made from slaughtered wildlife and to switch to synthetic alternatives. A luxury fake fur maker has even offered to provide free faux bear fur to the army for 10 years, PETA claimed.

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Military’s stance on alternatives

The military expressed openness to exploring alternatives to real fur but emphasized that no faux fur option has yet met the required standards for durability, water protection, and appearance. A Ministry of Defense spokesperson confirmed that the current criteria have not been met by any proposed alternative.

Cultural significance of bearskin caps

The tall black bearskin caps, worn by the guards in their bright scarlet tunics, are iconic symbols seen by millions during the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace and other royal events like the annual Trooping the Color ceremony in June.

Controversy over bear hunting and public opinion

PETA and other critics argue that the caps support the “cruel” Canadian bear-hunting industry, though the Ministry of Defense denied this, stating that stopping the purchase of bear pelts would not affect the number of bears killed in the hunts. Parliament debated the issue in July 2022 after a petition with over 100,000 signatures called for the use of fake fur. A poll found that 75% of the U.K. population believed using real bear fur was a poor use of taxpayer money and supported replacing the hats.

Royal family’s shift away from fur

The late Queen Elizabeth II had ceased purchasing fur for her wardrobe, and earlier this year, Queen Camilla, wife of King Charles III, also pledged to stop buying fur products.