King's Guards' bearskins: How much do they cost and why are they worn?

Following the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, the British Army established the caps as part of the ceremonial uniform. Credit: AP

Words by Natasha Dangoor, ITV News Producer

Bearskins - the black caps worn by the King's Guards outside Buckingham Palace and on other royal occasions - now cost more than £2,000.

According to data, seen by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the price of bearskins has increased by over 30% in a year to £2,040 per cap.

Dating back to the early 1800s, the ceremonial caps are an iconic London sight but have raised much ethical and environmental concern.

ITV News explains the history behind them and the controversy they have caused.

When were bearskin caps first introduced?

Following the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, the British Army established the caps as part of the ceremonial uniform to make soldiers appear taller and more intimidating in combat.

The bearskins are designed to cover the eyes of the soldiers slightly so that they stand more upright.

Where are they worn today?

Five of the British Army's foot guards, responsible for protecting the royal family outside Buckingham Palace, wear the bearskins with their renowned, immaculate red and black uniform.

They are also worn during royal public duties, including mounting the King's Guard and Trooping the Colour.

Members of the Scots Guards during Trooping the Colour ceremony Credit: PA

Why are they controversial?

While defenders of the fur caps argue they are a staple part of the regal uniform and appearance, bearskins have raised longstanding concern among animal rights and environmentalist groups.

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has been campaigning for the MoD to stop spending taxpayer money on bearskin caps for more than two decades, and instead use a synthetic alternative made by the faux fur manufacturer Ecopel. Actor Stephen Fry backed the campaign.

In 2022, the MoD responded saying that it had not seen a "set of verifiable data that demonstrates a single sample of faux fur" that met their criteria.

Where does the fur come from?

The foot guards’ ceremonial caps are sourced exclusively from Canada, the MoD confirmed.

According to PETA, each cap uses the skin of one bear and the MoD bought 526 bearskin hats between 2017 and July 2024.

The MoD has spent over £1 million of taxpayer money on the caps over the past nine years, PETA says.

In response to the petition by PETA campaigning for faux fur products, which received over 100,000 signatures and was debated in Parliament, the MoD said: "No bears are hunted to order for the Ministry of Defence."

"Pelts are a product of legal and licensed hunting authorised in Canada by provincial and territorial Governments with the goal of long-term population sustainability," it added.

What is the royal family's attitude towards fur?

Following in the footsteps of the late Queen, who switched to faux fur for new outfits in 2019, Queen Camilla pledged to buy no new fur products for her wardrobe earlier this year.

The recently unveiled coronation roll, a handwritten record of the King and Queen’s crowning, was the first to use paper, not the usual animal skin, reflecting Charles’ animal welfare views.

King Charles's coronation roll was the first to use paper, not the usual animal skin Credit: PA

However, both the King and Queen wore fur at the coronation, with ermine capes on their robes and historic crowns trimmed in ermine.

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