The Real Reason British Guards Wear Bearskins

Why do the Royal Guards of Buckingham Palace sport those unique hats? Are they really made from bearskin? And why are they so tall?

#RoyalFamily #RoyalGuards #BuckinghamPalace

[GrungeHQ]

What are your thoughts on the bearskin hats?

[phil-zzhk]

i am a retired member of the Welsh guards . synthetic bearskins where used back when i joined back in 1973 . it isn't new . also the bearskin goes back to the French grenadiers . the busby, which is mistakenly connected goes back to the Hungarian hussars .

[josephmaxwell]

The bears are killed anyway, so at least the skins are not wasted. A bit like the cow hide (leather) shoes you have on.

[robertjames]

There are five regiments of foot guards in the British army, all belong to the Guards Division. Each has a veritable combat history and are primarily front line troops.
Not one of the regiments is known as the Royal guard as each provides troops for the Royal Household on a rotating basis. As Britain’s senior regiments they do most of the ceremonial work alongside the two Household cavalry regiments. BTW, the Grenadier Guards was the first to wear the bearskin, twenty years before the other regiments. The Royal Scots Grays, a Dragoon Regt.have worn them for longer.

[CornishCarper]

Why do I feel this is another kick at the British Royals and our proud MOD! It's no different than leather sofas! Those men and women did us proud on Monday like every other day!

[bi]

How many synthetic bears need to be hunted and killed to get these hats.

[AdventureswithTrains]

The Bearskins are actually passed on to new Guardsmen when they join the Regiments, new ones are not made specifically fo reach Guardsmen.

[jackiereamy]

What I'd like to know, is how can they even see?

[jamesrocket]

Royal Guards wearing Napoleonic-era uniforms while armed with SA80 bullpup rifles seems surreal to me.

[repetemyname]

Plenty of bears out there, trust me, the States could kick a few hundred skins in combined and it wouldnt hurt our population one bit.

[thomasdearment]

they kicked Napolean's Kester at Waterloo, proved his old guard wasn't so great and donned the hat as a sign of victory,

[imbwildrd]

"Bears are never hunted to order for use by the MOD"....I doubt it.

[firebyrd]

They did try artificial material but they were useless, these bears are culled anyway so it's not as if they go out killing them just for hats however I get why people don't like it, myself I'm not a fan of this eitherv

[fortunatejeremy]

Wardrobe choice? They're called uniforms.

[ogueyratogeyrat]

I would be laughing if anyone charge me with that thing 😂😂😂

[markdouglas]

Big headgear and large epoulettes were originally designed to make the wearers look physically bigger and therefore, intimidating before battle commenced, (when armies faced each other across open fields).

[noobienitro]

I love the bearskin hats but then I am not one of the "hand-wringer" crowd.

[fbisurveillancevan]

PETA never gets tough around hells angels wearing leather vests.

[meltravers]

My uncle got kicked out of the Grenadier Guards for letting his bearskin slip over his forehead 💂‍♂

[enak]

Bears ... Beets ... Battlestar Gallactica