Why do the King's Guards wear bearskin? Bearskin caps were introduced by the British Army following the Battle of Waterloo (June 1815). The idea was to make the soldiers appear taller and more intimidating when in combat. Today, five of the British Army's foot guard regiments wear bearskin caps.
Answer. Answer: The origins are that every gunner in the British military and the French military wore bearskin caps to make them taller and more intimidating because they were the ones that did the hand to hand fighting. In Napoleon's imperial guard everybody wore them, and they were supposed to be his elite troops.
The hats were created after the British Army defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. It was thought that the 19-inch tall caps would make soldiers look taller and more intimidating to their enemies.
It's reported that the decision to wear the chained strap for these headpieces under the lip comes from when soldiers actually fought while wearing them. If a soldier was shot, the heavy hat could fall backwards and cause the soldier's neck to break if they were wearing a chin strap.
This decision to wear the chained strap for headpieces under the lip comes from when soldiers actually fought while wearing them, WalesOnline reports. If a soldier was shot, the heavy hat could fall backward and cause the soldier's neck to break if they were wearing a chin strap.
They are professional soldiers on duty, a smile is probably the best you will get. I have smiled for tourists when asked sometimes, not often though. If they do laugh they will face disciplinary action (conduct unbecoming) not be terminated from position as suggested in another answer.
As a result, if a Buckingham Palace guard is seen to be smiling while on duty, they may be reprimanded or even removed from their post. Furthermore, this breach of etiquette could also be seen as a sign of disrespect to the royal family, who are often present within the grounds of the palace.
The short answer is yes: they are made from bear pelts sourced from Canada. According to the MoD, bears are not hunted to order; rather the pelts are a product of "legal and licensed hunting authorised in Canada by provincial and territorial governments."
The hats are worn by members of the five regiments — the Grenadier, Welsh, Irish, Scots and Coldstream Guards — who protect Buckingham Palace and other royal sites. The bearskin hats cost $1,218, and can last 20 to 40 years through wind, rain and sun exposure. The army said bears are not killed expressly for their fur.
That's because the bearskin is stretched over a basket-like framework to which an adjustable leather skullcap and chin strap are attached for a secure fit. Wearers say the caps are quite comfortable, being both light and cool.
No Toilet Break for the Dedicated Soldiers
The Queen's guards are so dedicated to their position that they can't even leave their post for a toilet break during their working shift. They must all have pretty strong bladders!
The first thing that will happen is the guard coming to attention and telling you to step back from the Queen's Guard. If this is ignored or should the person approach or threaten the guard then this is repeated.
Bearskin hats are made from the skin of black bears, hundreds of which are killed annually from a large population in Canada. The British Army takes 100 skins for itself. There have been endless calls to phase out the bearkin, and even an alleged offer from Stella McCartney to design new faux fur hats.
Answer: It is regimental traditional as different regiments tend to wear the bearskin hat differently. The Blue royals will wear it under their chin and the Lifeguards will wear it underneath the lip. Individual regiments tweak the way they wear the hat in order to distinguish them from the other regiments.
a busby is a kind of hat; a bearskin is a bear's family.
Despite the strict regulations, the Royal Guardsmen earn an average of $36,020 per year. Queen's Guard members are not required to be members of the military, but they must uphold the monarchy's traditions in order to do so in this highly regarded role.
For each of the caps worn by the King's Guard, a bear is cruelly killed by being shot or ensnared, sometimes for days, in a painful trap – and British people, a good 95% of whom object to killing animals for fur, are unwittingly paying for it through their taxes.
Approximately one bear is used to make one hat! To supply these hats, Canadian bears are legally shot or trapped in foot snares across the provinces. What makes these bear killings extremely cruel is that bears who are shot and escape die painfully from blood loss, starvation or infection.
The standard bearskin for the British foot guards is 11 inches (280 millimetres) tall at the front, 16 inches (410 millimetres) to the rear, weighs 1.5 pounds (0.68 kilograms), and is made from the fur of the Canadian black bear.
Caption Options. The Bearskin hats are made from the pelts of culled Canadian black bears, the appeal of the unlikely headpieces is that the material is warm and water resistant, retaining its distinctive shape no matter the weather.
The first black man to join an elite regiment that guarded the late Queen says writing a book about his experiences was "a coping mechanism" for the racism he faced. Bristolian Richard Stokes joined the Grenadier Guards in 1986 after encouragement from his adoptive father.
Changing of The King's Guard takes place in front of Buckingham Palace at 10:45am and lasts for about 45 minutes. You should arrive early to get the best view. Soldiers gather at St James's Palace and Wellington Barracks from 10:00am and march to Buckingham Palace accompanied by music.
There are circumstances in which they are allowed to speak…
warnings if they fail to move away or start to act aggressively,” the Reddit guard says. For instance, they're known to yell “make way for the Queen's Guard!” at tourists who get in their way.
'Standing easy' is not permitted whilst a sentry is at their post. Orders for sentry duty read out before each two-hour 'tour of duty', make it clear that sentries "may not eat, sleep, smoke, stand easy, sit or lie down during [their] tour of duty".
The King's Guard has strict rules to abide by, including not speaking or smiling while on duty, but a British travel blog notes that the men are permitted to warn rule-breaking tourists. “One should never touch a member of the Queen's Guard,” according to Londontopia.