london —
The sight of soldiers in bright red uniforms and tall black fur hats outside Buckingham Palace is a familiar sight to anyone who has ever visited London.
However, one of the most famous symbols of the British royal family, the distinctive hat, is being debated over its use of real bearskin.
Now, a group of British MPs has called on the government to stop using real bear skin in ceremonial headdresses worn by the King’s Guards.
The practice is “unjustifiable” and should be replaced with comprehensive alternatives, according to a cross-party group of MPs.
In a letter to Defense Minister Luke Pollard this week, 18 MPs and one House of Lords urged the government to end the use of legally killed bear skin in Canada and replace it with faux fur alternatives.
The MPs called on the Ministry of Defense (MoD) and its suppliers to “work proactively with manufacturers to develop and adopt suitable faux fur alternatives, in line with the Government’s commitment to promoting animal welfare”.
The letter said the continued use of real bearskin “does not meet today’s ethical standards” and that new orders should be halted until alternative materials are developed.
“Most urgently, while this process continues, bears are still being shot and killed with crossbows, their cubs are orphaned, and their fur is used to make new hats,” the lawmakers wrote.
Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA UK), which has led several campaigns against the use of bearskin, said that public information data showed that 22 bearskin hats were ordered in 2024 and 96 in 2025.
In its 2024 campaign, PETA UK stated that “it takes the skin of at least one bear to make one hat” and claimed that the 526 bearskin hats purchased by the Ministry of Defense between 2017 and July 2024 were “at least as many bears as slaughtered”.
Following the MPs’ letter, PETA reiterated its call for synthetic alternatives, saying in a press release: “The Ministry of Defense should urgently put resources into finding fake fur and end UK support for wildlife slaughter overseas.”
A Defense Department spokesperson told CNN that the department “supports replacing bearskin hats with faux fur alternatives and has set out five tests that the replacement must pass.”
The spokesperson added that the department is “willing to resume cooperation on alternative options should PETA wish to re-engage.”
The Department of Defense’s five requirements for any replacement should cover water absorption, water permeability, appearance, drying rate, and compressibility. Replacement materials will also need to be approved by security personnel to ensure they maintain their shape and are safe and comfortable to wear during the ceremony.
Alternatives must also be evaluated for other factors such as sustainability, affordability, and long-term suitability before being considered as an alternative to genuine bearskin.
Bearskin hats are most commonly associated with soldiers standing guard outside Buckingham Palace and other royal residences. It is also a highlight of state events and ceremonial occasions, such as the King’s Birthday Parade, also known as Trooping the Color, and the opening of state parliaments.
The soldiers who make up the King’s Guard are drawn from the British Army’s five Household Infantry Regiments (Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards, Scots Guards, Irish Guards and Welsh Guards), and all wear the distinctive bearskin hats on ceremonial duty.
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Dating back to the early 19th century, this hat was intended to make soldiers look taller and more imposing on the battlefield.
The cap, built around a wicker frame, is approximately 45 centimeters (18 inches) high. According to the Welsh Guards, their fur is carefully cared for, and is “brushed, steamed and even shampooed” to keep it clean and in shape.
With proper care, bearskin hats can last for decades. The Welsh Guards said some of the hats currently in use are more than 40 years old.
In April, the British government announced that it costs about 2,460 pounds (about $3,300) to procure a single bearskin hat.
Based on public disclosure data, PETA UK estimates that the Ministry of Defense spent more than £1 million ($1.3 million) on bearskin hats between 2017 and 2024.
