King’s Guard Bearskin Caps Under Renewed Scrutiny As Huge Cost Revealed

The UK government's spending of over £2,000 on each bearskin cap for King’s Guard soldiers has come under scrutiny as the total cost for the caps reached £2,040 per piece. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has spent more than £1 million over the last nine years on these iconic 19-inch tall black caps made from real fur taken from Canadian black bears. The use of real fur in the caps has sparked controversy, with animal rights group PETA calling for a transition towards faux alternatives in order to prevent the inhumane practices involved in obtaining the fur.

PETA has been campaigning against the use of real fur caps for years, arguing that the fur is sourced through methods that involve the suffering of bears who are either shot or trapped. Despite an offer from a luxury faux fur brand to provide vegan caps that were indistinguishable from real fur and more sustainable, the Conservative government had previously upheld the use of real fur. With a new Labour government in power, there are hopes for a review of the tradition of using real fur in the King’s Guard caps, as some believe that traditions should adapt in order to survive and remain humane.