Keen fox hunter Camilla vows to end fur purchases

Britain’s Queen Camilla has promised not to buy any more fur for her wardrobe, according to a letter from Buckingham Palace that animal rights group PETA released Wednesday.

Camilla – a keen fox hunter before it was made illegal in the UK – follows in the footsteps of late Queen Elizabeth II, who announced she would stop buying fur in 2019.

The letter, on Buckingham Palace headed notepaper, said: “I can confirm that Her Majesty will not procure any new fur garments.”

PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk welcomed the move as being “right and proper for the monarchy”, and said it was in line with the overwhelming majority of British people who also refuse to wear animal fur.

The activist group has been calling for years for the Ministry of Defense to end the use of bearskin for the hats worn by ceremonial guards.

The tall, black hats are worn by the elite regiments, including for the Changing of the Guard outside Buckingham Palace, and are one of the best-known symbols of the UK.

The MoD has argued that faux fur alternatives do not meet their standards.

In reference to the ceremonial hats, PETA posted a video of hunters shooting unsuspecting black bears with crossbows. “Many of the animals are shot several times, and some escape and die slowly from blood loss, infection, starvation, or dehydration,” the group said in a statement.

“In nature, black bear cubs spend nearly two years by their mother’s side, learning foraging skills from her, playing with their siblings, and exploring. During spring hunts, mother bears with nursing cubs may be shot, which leads to the eradication of entire families, as the cubs are orphaned and left to die”.

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Coronation Roll not recorded on animal skin anymore

Camilla’s decision is the latest royal move to address animal welfare concerns, with her husband King Charles III a lifelong environmentalist.

Charles and Camilla were presented this month with the “Coronation Roll”, a written record of their coronation last year.

It was the first time it was written on paper rather than vellum from animal skin in its 700-year history.

However, the king and queen wore ermine-trimmed capes and crowns made from stoats at the ceremony.

Camilla’s pledge does not require her to stop wearing fur items she already owns.

PETA, calling for the public’s support in the statement on Camilla, also stated that the following facts should be considered about animals who suffer and die for fur:

• Minks are skilled climbers and swimmers who purr when they’re happy.
• Foxes are intelligent nocturnal animals who rely on their bushy tails to spread scent in order to communicate.
• Beavers are extremely gentle and family-oriented. They partner for life and remain lifelong friends with their offspring.
• Rabbits are extremely agile and can hop faster than cats, humans, or white-tailed deer can run.

Additional source: AFP

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