Key facts
- 18 MPs and one peer urged Defence Minister Luke Pollard to replace bearskin caps with faux fur.
- The parliamentarians cited ethical concerns and the government's commitment to animal welfare.
- Orders for bearskin caps have risen significantly since the Labour party took power.
- The Ministry of Defence stated it supports replacing the caps with a faux fur alternative.
- The government previously considered synthetic alternatives but found no material met the standards of real fur.
A cross-party group of 18 MPs and one peer has written to Defence Minister Luke Pollard, urging the government to replace the real bearskin caps worn by the King's Guard with a faux fur alternative. The parliamentarians argue that the continued use of real bear pelts is ethically unjustifiable and does not align with the government's commitment to animal welfare.
The letter states that the government's reliance on Canadian bearskin pelts is "impossible to justify" and calls for the Ministry of Defence to suspend any further orders of real bearskins while a suitable faux fur replacement is developed. The MPs highlighted that bears are still being killed for their pelts to produce new caps.
Bearskin caps were first introduced into the British Army after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Data obtained by the animal rights group Peta indicates that orders for the tall fur caps have risen more than fourfold since the Labour party took power, from 22 caps in 2024 to 96 in 2025.
The government has stated that it supports replacing bearskin caps with a faux fur alternative and is willing to work with Peta on the matter. The previous Conservative government had explored synthetic alternatives but concluded that no material met the required standards.