People are just realising why Britain’s iconic Royal guards wear straps over their faces… and the reason is sinister
THE real reason why the King’s Guards wear straps over their faces has been revealed – and it’s left Brits baffled.
The King’s Foot Guards are a British icon, attracting more than 50,000 visitors to Buckingham Palace every year to see their unique uniforms.
The reason behind how the 360-year-old traditional bright red uniforms and tall black bearskin hats are worn dates back to when the British guards wore them battle.
In 1815, one regiment called the Grenadier Guards was involved in the Battle of Waterloo, and their symbolic hats were made to measure 18 inches tall to intimidate the enemy.
Due to the height and weight of the hats, soldiers wore the chin strap underneath their lip so if they were shot it would not break their neck if it were to fall back.
The hats weigh approximately 1.5lbs and are made from Canadian black bears fur.
Read More
It has been reported that it takes one bear pelt to make the hats, and if they are taken care of properly they can last for 80 years.
However, another theory, as reported in Wales Online, is that by placing the strap under their bottom lip, they would be recognisable from others serving the Foot Guards.
This comes after there was a call for change in tradition earlier this year.
Female soldiers in the King’s elite bodyguard demanded the Army stop calling them “men”.
Most read in Fabulous
One said she was “so tired of being called a man every day” and asked the Army Servicewomen’s Network: “Does anybody know if the rank of Guardsman is going to change soon?”
It has been suggested the centuries-old rank — which massively predates the lifting of a ban on women in combat roles in 2018 — be replaced simply with “Guard.”
Read More on The Sun
The Army said it was ready for a rethink and that “equality, diversity and inclusivity” were among its priorities.
A spokesman said: “We remain open to different views on the naming of ranks.”