"I just wonder how many bears died to supply the hats on those Coldstream Guards. Or maybe they use fake fur now?"


The bearskins apparently are the 'by-product' from the culling of bears which takes places in Canada and the USA each year, under the supervision of Rangers, where they're killed to stop too much damage being done. They are *not* specifically killed for the British Army to make use of them. The Army purchases around 50-100 pelts a year. We are not the only country to use them...and the Army are searching for an alternative:

BBC article on Bearskins

Wiki - Bearskin Hats


This is a great site for many things to do with English and British Culture:

The Queen's Guard - from Woodlands Junior School