QUEEN OPTS FOR FAKE FUR IN FUTURE OUTFITS
LONDON • New outfits designed for Queen Elizabeth will no longer be made with real fur, Buckingham Palace said, in a move welcomed by animal rights activists.
In her book The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe, Angela Kelly, who has worked for the Royals for decades, said the Queen made the switch to fake fur this year.
“If Her Majesty is due to attend an engagement in particularly cold weather, from 2019 onwards fake fur will be used to make sure she stays warm,” Kelly writes in her book.
However, while the 93-year-old monarch’s future garments will be made with fake fur, she will not dispose of old outfits adorned in real fur.
“As new outfits are designed for the Queen, any fur used will be fake,” a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said.
“We are not suggesting that all fur on existing outfits will be replaced, or that the Queen will never wear fur again. The Queen will continue to rewear existing outfits in her wardrobe.”
Over the years, the queen has been photographed in an array of fully fur or fur-trimmed outfits including evening stoles, ceremonial robes, winter hats and coats.
According to Robert Finch, dominion chairman of the Monarchist League of Canada, the move reflects the more modern viewpoints about the use of fur in fashion.
“There is really little tolerance for it anymore, so it just makes sense for the Queen to replace any fur with synthetic materials,” Finch said. “Fur used to be a status symbol, of course, but it isn’t anymore.”
Finch added that the Queen’s switch to fake fur doesn’t come as a surprise, especially considering Prince Charles’ longtime environmental advocacy.
The Prince of Wales has been an environmental activist for years, even attempting to educate U.S. President Donald Trump about climate change this past July.
And according to the Royal Family’s website, their estate takes measures to try to be more environmental, including reducing the use of pesticides to prevent damage to the local wildlife.
“I think the Royal Family has a pretty good feeling for public perception on this one,” Finch said.
Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) welcomed the move.
“We’re raising a glass of gin and Dubonnet to the Queen’s compassionate decision to go fur-free,” PETA U.K. wrote on its Twitter feed.
The news follows steps by several fashion houses to go fur-free and improve their green and ethical credentials. Last year, London Fashion Week, a trade event where designers present their latest creations on the catwalk, declared itself furfree for the first time.