Buckingham guards may soon lose bearskin hats

The stunning sight of the change of guard at Buckingham Palace with the lofty splendour of the iconic...

The stunning sight of the change of guard at Buckingham Palace with the lofty splendour of the iconic and glossy crest of black worn by the Queen8217;s soldiers may soon be a thing of the past.

Britain is mulling replacing the 200-year-old traditional bearskin helmets, worn by the guards on ceremonial duty at the Royal residence in London, with a designer, humane alternative preferably made from synthetical materials.

Baroness Taylor, the Minister for Defence Procurement, is to meet activists from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals PETA this week to discuss the idea of phasing out the 18-inch bearskin headgear.

According to sources, the Ministry of Defence is very much open to the idea, provided any alternative can be worn in all weathers.

8220;The MoD is not opposed to use of synthetic materials as an alternative to bearskins, provided such materials meet the requirement for a very high quality product that performs adequately in all weather conditions.

8220;Regrettably a suitable alternative continues to prove elusive,8221; an unnamed MoD spokesperson was quoted by The Daily Telegraph as saying.

Meanwhile, PETA has asked British designer Vivienne Westwood to produce an 8220;innovative8221; new design, while Stella McCartney and US designer Mar Bouwer have also been asked for help if commissioned by the MoD.

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In fact, the bearskins have long been a target of animal rights groups, as a highly visible garment made from the fur of Canadian black bears, whose numbers are falling in the wild.

They have been worn by the Foot Guards in the British Army8217;s Household Division since the Battle of Waterloo, where the hats were taken as badge of honour by the Grenadier Guards when they defeated French Emperor Napoleon8217;s bearskin-wearing Imperial Guard.

8220;This meeting is hugely significant for our campaign to save North American bears. If she Baroness Taylor has a heart and can see the PR nightmare of the MoD continuing to support the Canadian bear slaughter, she can push the MoD to scrap the bearskin caps sooner rather than later,8221; PETA8217;s Director Robbie LeBlanc said.