Stephen Fry says The King's Guard shouldn't wear bearskin hats
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You might have seen pictures or videos of the King's Guard before, in their tall, distinctive fur hats
For thousands of years mankind has worn clothing made from animals.
But in modern times some people have questioned the right to wear animal products, particularly fur, due to the way the animals are hunted and the conditions they are raised in.
One group of people who wear animal furs are the King's Guard, the royal foot soldiers who you see marching outside Buckingham Palace for Changing of the Guard and during royal events.
They wear a red uniform featuring a distinctive, tall bearskin hat, in a tradition that dates back to the 19th Century.
But the actor, writer, presenter and comedian Stephen Fry has recently called for the King's Guard to stop wearing hats made from black bears and to use artificial fur instead.
"Tradition is never an excuse for cruelty," Mr Fry said in a video for the animal rights charity PETA.
It is not illegal to buy or sell fur, but fur farming has been banned in the UK since 2000.
The fur industry involves certain animals being farmed, trapped or killed for their fur.
Their skin is then processed to be used to make fur products.
The fur industry has been strongly criticised because of its links to animal cruelty.
Many high profile fashion designers have banned fur from their products in recent years.
The issue was discussed in Parliament a few years ago but the Ministry of Defence said at the time it was difficult to find a good artificial replacement for the fur that looked the same and had the same waterproof properties.
Five years ago, the King's mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, decided she would only buy artificial animal furs to wear.
However, her senior dresser Angela Kelly said that did not mean the monarch would stop wearing furs she already owned, which included her ceremonial robes and hats.
Why do some British soldiers wear bearskin hats?
High ranking members of the British army have worn bearskin caps since the Napoleonic Wars
In 1815 there was a decisive battle against the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.
The Battle of Waterloo ended his ambitions to control Europe.
In preparation for this battle, some members of the British army were told to wear bearskin hats with their uniforms, to make them look taller and more intimidating to the French soldiers.
Napoleon's side was defeated in the battle and since then, some of the foot guard regiments who guard the royal castles and palaces in the UK have worn bearskin hats.
Members of the royal family wear bearskin hats during official events. Here, Princes William and Edward are seen during the Trooping of the Colour, in their hats
Traditionally fur was used to keep people warm in colder climates.
In places where fur isn't used mainly for warmth, it began to be used as a sign of wealth because you could pay to have fur sent from somewhere far away.
In medieval England only certain people were allowed to wear furs, which made them a symbol of money and power.
It's now illegal to sell cat or dog fur in the UK, but some other furs are still allowed. People can pay a lot of money for clothing made out of fur, so in some places it retains its status as a luxury item.
Why are some people unhappy about this?
Stephen Fry, who voiced the audiobooks for Harry Potter and Michael Bond's Paddington Bear series, says using real bear fur encourages the hunting of bears
The tall black hats for the King's Guard are made with real fur, sourced from black bears in Canada.
Mr Fry says it takes one bear to provide enough fur for each of the King's Guard caps.
The Ministry of Defence says the bears are not hunted "for order", rather their fur is taken during "legal and licensed hunting".
It said to date there was no suitable alternative that could provide an "effective replacement for the bearskin ceremonial caps".
Previously it said any fur alternative had to pass five tests; for how much water it could absorb, how much water it let through, what the material looks like when wet and dry, how fast it dries and how much it compresses or becomes smaller.
Mr Fry says each King's Guard cap is made from one black bear's skin
Charities like PETA, which stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said hunting bears was cruel and asked the King's Guard to reconsider using artificial fur instead.
In 2022, there was a petition against the use of bear fur. A petition is a written request asking people to do something.
If more than 100,000 people sign a petition in support of it, the government will discuss the request in Parliament. This one received 106,000 signatures and was debated in Parliament, although the government did not change its position.
The debate, external around using fur has been around for much longer though.
True or faux?
Is this real animal fur or faux fur? It's faux fur - were you able to tell the difference?
The Ministry of Defence previously said fur alternatives had to meet five criteria relating to water absorption, water penetration, appearance, drying rate and compression
Some countries' armies that traditionally wore bearskin hats have since adopted non-animal alternatives.
One of these is faux (which means artificial) fur - which makes the hat look similar without having to use animal fur.
Italy and Sweden both traditionally used bearskins for official ceremonies, but now use faux fur instead.
Why is bear fur important for the guards?
Like many other items of the King's Guard uniform, they are worn as part of a military tradition.
The infantry men also carry a sword and a bayonet, which is a type of bladed weapon, now worn to symbolise the King's power.
While their swords are no longer used for fighting, historically the King's Guard used them to fight. They remain part of the King's Guard uniform to symbolise the history and traditions of the monarchy.
Swedish troops used to wear bearskin hats for ceremonies but now opt for faux fur hats
Only some of the guards wear bearskins as a sign the wearers are important individuals called upon to guard the King's palaces, like Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle, for example.
Bearskin hats require careful looking after, so they are only given to these specific guards.
The Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards are the only foot guards in the British army who may wear bearskin hats.
Buckingham Palace has declined to comment.