Members of Parliament Protest Against Palace Guards' Bearskin Caps

Wearing faux-bearskin caps emblazoned with a "No Fur" logo and standing with a banner reading, "MoD: Go Fake, for the Bears' Sake", Glenda Jackson, Mike Hancock and dozens of other cross-party MPs gathered outside the Houses of Parliament to protest against the use of real bear fur in The Queen's Guards' caps. The MPs and PETA are calling on Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to stop using bear pelts to make headpieces for the Five Guards' Regiments and to have the caps fashioned from luxurious faux fur instead.

In a recent parliamentary session, Chris Mullin, Labour MP for Sunderland South, tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM 1756) calling for the House of Commons to recognise that the bearskin caps worn by the Five Guards' Regiments involve unnecessary cruelty to animals. In the EDM, Mr Mullin "invites the Government to end their use and substitute caps made from fake fur". The EDM received the support of more than 200 MPs, including MPs from every political party.

In a recent poll commissioned by PETA Europe and conducted by independent polling company YouGov, nearly 80 per cent of respondents said they opposed the use of taxpayer money to kill Canadian black bears and have their skins fashioned into ceremonial caps for The Queen’s Five Guards’ Regiments. The Ministry of Defence has spent more than £321,000 on bearskin caps in the past five years alone.

It’s not just MPs who are backing PETA’s campaign to save the bears. Numerous illustrious celebrities – including Sir Roger Moore, James Cromwell, Morrissey, Julian Clary, Pink, Jeff Beck, Siouxsie Sioux, Pamela Anderson, Twiggy, Amanda Holden, Hayley Mills and many others – are calling for a ban on bear fur in the Household Guards’ headwear.

The bears need your help too!
Please sign the petition to save bears from being killed for their skin. You can also print out PETA’s petition and collect signatures to show The Queen that the killing of bears for guards’ caps won’t be tolerated.