Why Buckingham Palace’s bearskin caps might soon be a relic of the past

Pressure Grows to Replace Bearskin Caps Used by the King’s Guard

Activelifezero.com – The towering black caps worn by soldiers outside Buckingham Palace have long been part of London’s most familiar ceremonial image. Paired with scarlet tunics, the bearskin hats help define the visual identity of the King’s Guard at royal residences, parades and major state occasions. Yet their future is under renewed scrutiny as a group of parliamentarians urges the UK government to abandon real bear fur in favor of a convincing synthetic material.

Eighteen members of Parliament, joined by one member of the House of Lords, wrote to Defence Minister Luke Pollard calling for a halt to the use of pelts from bears killed in legal culls in Canada. The cross-party group said the practice no longer reflects modern expectations of animal welfare and pressed the Ministry of Defence to work with suppliers and manufacturers on an alternative.

The practice is “impossible to justify” and should be replaced with synthetic alternatives.

The lawmakers asked the ministry to act while a replacement is being developed, rather than continuing to order new fur caps. Their letter argued that the existing arrangement fails to meet current ethical standards and highlighted concerns about the impact on wildlife.

“Most urgently, while this process continues, bears are still being shot with crossbows and killed, their cubs orphaned, and their pelts used to produce new caps,” the lawmakers wrote.

A ceremonial symbol with a contested supply chain

Bearskin caps are most closely associated with the King’s Guard, the soldiers stationed at Buckingham Palace and other royal sites. The headwear is also prominent during highly visible events such as the King’s Birthday Parade, widely known as Trooping the Colour, and the State Opening of Parliament.

The guards come from five British Army Foot Guards regiments: the Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards, Scots Guards, Irish Guards and Welsh Guards. Each uses the distinctive tall cap during ceremonial responsibilities, making any potential material change especially sensitive. A replacement would need to preserve the formal appearance that the public expects while meeting demanding operational standards for soldiers who may stand on duty in difficult weather.

Animal-rights organization PETA UK has campaigned for years against the continued use of real bearskin. It said Freedom of Information material showed that the Ministry of Defence ordered 22 caps in 2024 and 96 more in 2025. During a 2024 campaign, the group said one cap requires the skin of at least one bear. It also said the 526 hats purchased by the ministry from 2017 through July 2024 represented at least that many animals killed.

After the parliamentary letter was sent, PETA UK again demanded that the government commit resources to a non-animal substitute.

“The MoD must urgently dedicate its resources to finding a faux fur and end the UK’s support for the slaughter of wildlife overseas,” PETA UK said in a press release.

Why a replacement has not yet been adopted

The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it supports replacing real bearskin, but it has set strict criteria for any candidate material. A ministry spokesperson said a faux-fur option must satisfy five tests covering water absorption, water penetration, visual appearance, drying speed and compression.

Those requirements reflect the practical demands of ceremonial use. The caps must retain their form in rain, resist damage, recover after being stored or worn, and continue to look appropriate for formal duties. Serving guards would also have to approve a replacement to confirm that it holds its shape and can be worn safely and comfortably.

Other questions would remain before a new material could take the place of real bearskin. The Ministry of Defence would assess sustainability, cost and whether the product is suitable for long-term service. The emphasis on durability matters because the traditional caps are not simply disposable ceremonial items.

The Welsh Guards say their bearskins are maintained with considerable care: they are brushed, steamed and even shampooed to keep the fur clean and properly shaped. A cap can remain in use for decades when looked after. Some currently worn by guards are more than 40 years old.

From battlefield purpose to modern ceremony

The caps date to the early 19th century, when their imposing height was intended to make soldiers appear larger and more formidable in battle. Today, the military role they once served has been replaced by a ceremonial one, but their historical symbolism remains powerful. Constructed around a wicker frame, each cap stands roughly 45 centimeters, or 18 inches, tall.

That history helps explain why the question is more complicated than a change of uniform fabric. For supporters of the traditional design, the bearskin represents continuity in British military pageantry. For critics, maintaining that tradition with animal fur is increasingly difficult to defend when synthetic textiles may be capable of delivering a similar visual result.

The financial dimension has also drawn attention. The government said in April that procuring a single bearskin cap costs about £2,460, approximately $3,300. PETA UK estimated that Ministry of Defence spending on the caps exceeded £1 million, or $1.3 million, between 2017 and 2024.

The debate now centers on whether a material can meet the ministry’s technical and ceremonial expectations without relying on bear pelts. If a suitable faux-fur cap is developed and approved, one of the most enduring elements of royal military ceremony could remain visually recognizable while moving away from real animal fur.