Queen Camilla promises to buy no more clothes with real fur
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Queen Camilla has promised she will not be buying any new real fur clothes or products.
Buckingham Palace made the revelation in a letter to Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), where it was said that the Queen, 76, “will not procure any new fur garments”.
“This comes with the Queen’s warmest wishes,” the palace added.
The news went down a storm with the animal rights organisation which said staff would be celebrating the Queen with “a glass of the finest claret”.
“It’s right and proper for the British monarchy to reflect British values by recognising that fur has no place in our society,” managing director Ingrid Newkirk said.
The Queen did not however rule out wearing existing items - in a similar way to Elizabeth II who indicated in 2019 that she would acquire no new real-fur products.
The revelation comes amid a wider move in the monarchy towards a more cruelty-free existence, with King Charles banning foie gras from royal residences in 2022.
It is a French delicacy that is controversially made by fattening the liver of geese to as much as ten times its natural size.
But Camilla’s pledge to stop buying fur was not welcomed by everyone, with some arguing real fur is a more sustainable option than cruelty-free alternatives.
The International Fur Federation said the monarchy “should not be placed under pressure from animal activists”.
“It is the right of everyone to decide what to wear,” said Mark Oaten, the chief executive officer of the International Fur Federation.
“Many people still buy fur as they prefer to wear something that’s natural and sustainable, unlike plastic-based fake fur.
“We hope the Royal Family consider the environment when they decide what to wear - but freedom of choice is the key issue.”
This is not the first time this year that the use of fur within the royal family has come under scrutiny.
Back in January, actor and writer Stephen Fry called upon the King’s Guard to stop using real bear fur in their famous hats.
“Tradition is never an excuse for cruelty,” he said at the time.
The palace said in response to the call that the hats are made from fur acquired via “legal and licensed hunts”.
