After decades of wearing fur pieces, Queen Elizabeth II is making the switch to faux fur, according to CNN.
“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,” said Angela Kelly, longtime dresser of the queen in her new memoir, “The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe,” CNN reported.
This change was confirmed by a spokesperson from Buckingham Palace, who told The Telegraph, “As new outfits are designed for the Queen, any fur used will be fake.”
However, this means that the change will apply only to new clothing that is made for the queen — she will continue to wear fur pieces that are already in her wardrobe, including hats, coats and ceremonial robes, according to The Telegraph.
Still, it seems as though some of Queen Elizabeth’s pieces have already been altered — for instance, Kelly wrote in her memoir that the mink trim of a coat the queen wore to Slovakia in 2008 was replaced with faux fur, according to The Hill.
The United Kingdom was the first nation in the world to ban fur farming in 2000, according to Fox News. However, importing fur from other countries is still legal in the UK.
“We are thrilled that Her Majesty has officially gone fur-free,” said Claire Bass, executive director of Humane Society International/UK, in a statement reported by Fox. “Queen Elizabeth’s decision to ‘go faux’ is the perfect reflection of the mood of the British public, the vast majority of whom detest cruel fur, and want nothing to do with it.”
However, a spokesman for the British Fur Trade Association told The Telegraph, “Natural fur is one of the most sustainable and long lasting natural products available, so despite what animal rights groups would claim, we are sure that the Royal Family will continue to wear responsibly sourced fur as many on the high street continue to do.”