British actor Stephen Fry has collaborated with animal welfare activists to call for an end to the use of real fur in the tall bearskin caps worn by soldiers of the King’s Guard. The iconic scarlet-clad soldiers, known for their ceremonial roles and sentry posts at Buckingham Palace, traditionally wear foot-high bear pelt headwear called a busby. Fry, a prominent actor and TV broadcaster, urged a switch to faux bearskin, stating that “tradition is never an excuse for cruelty.” A graphic online video released by PETA shows hunters baiting and shooting black bears in Canada for their pelts. The Ministry of Defence defended the use of bear pelts, stating they come from legal and licensed hunts, and no viable alternative meeting required standards has been found so far. The King’s Guard, part of the Household Division, plays a key role in public duties and state ceremonies like ‘Trooping the Colour.’
Stephen fry joins campaign urging british king’s guard to ditch real fur in bearskin caps.
