Why Canadian sourced bearskin caps worn by Buckingham Palace guards could be replaced with faux fur - National Post
Members of the Scots Guards march onto the forecourt of Buckingham Palace in London, England, on September 11, 2026. Photo by Ben Whitley - WPA Pool/Getty ImagesArticle contentA cross-party group of U.K. MPs have urged the country’s Ministry of Defence to end the use of real Canadian bearskin for hats worn by the guards who stand outside Buckingham Palace.
In a letter to defence minister Luke Pollard, 18 MPs and one peer from a combination of the Labour Party, the Lib Dems and the Green Party called for the bearskin caps to be swapped for faux fur to “meet today’s ethical standards.”
The letter reads: “The Government’s continued use of real bearskin is impossible to justify. This moment calls for leadership and modernising the caps to meet today’s ethical standards.
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“We call on you to instruct the Ministry of Defence and its suppliers to work proactively with manufacturers to develop and adopt a suitable faux fur alternative, in line with the Government’s commitment to advancing animal welfare.”
It adds: “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 Ministry of Defence must suspend any further orders of real bearskins pending a faux-fur replacement.”
The bearskin caps, which were introduced into the British Army after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 to make soldiers look more intimidating in combat, are each made with the pelt of one Canadian black bear. Data obtained by animal rights group PETA previosuly revealed the U.K. Ministry of Defence bought 526 bearskin hats between 2017 and July 2024, which it says equates to “at least that many slaughtered bears.”
The hats are worn by British Foot Guards, the five regiments of which include the Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards. They are 18 inches tall and weigh 1.5 pounds.
