Animal rights campaigners call for end to King’s Guards’ bearskin caps as cost is revealed

13 September 2024, 08:34

Animal rights campaigners have called for an end to the King’s Guards’ bearskin caps as the huge price tag is revealed.

The ceremonial caps have been used for centuries, being made from the fur of black bears.

They were first designed to make the soldiers appear taller and more intimidating in battle.

But it has been revealed that in the last year alone costs for the caps have soared by 30 per cent.

A Freedom of Information request by Peta revealed each cap costs the government £2,040.

More than £1 million has been spent on the caps in the last nine years, with 24 purchased in 2023.

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"The government must heed the public’s wishes and stop propping up Canada’s cruel bear-hunting industry when it could be getting beautiful faux fur for free," said Peta Vice President of Programmes Elisa Allen.

"Peta is calling on the Ministry of Defence to stop wasting taxpayer pounds on caps made from slaughtered wildlife and switch to faux fur today."

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said: "We are open to exploring faux fur alternatives if they pass the necessary requirements – including safety and durability considerations."

However, "no alternative has met all those criteria to date".

The MoD added that it would "welcome the submission of a faux fur sample to an independent organisation accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) for testing, in accordance with the five initial requirements previously agreed between the Department and Peta".

Campaigners have said that the skin of at least one bear is needed for each cap, claiming that crossbows being used to hunt them causes suffering to the animals.

But the MoD insists that "bears are not hunted to order" for the army and that the pelts used are from "legal and licensed hunts, sourced exclusively from the regulated Canadian market".

It comes after Queen Camilla announced in May that she would not buy any new fur products for her wardrobe.

She faced criticism after wearing a rabbit fur stole during a Canada tour.