What is the name for the tall, black, fuzzy hat the palace guards traditionally wear?
My high-school band leader called it a shako, and the drum major wore one. Now that I’ve looked it up, I see that he was wrong, bless his heart.
We also called it a shako- and according to dictionary.com:
and for the literalists here - here’s a cite:
They’re right. I’ve only seen them in low resolution pictures, and had assumed they were the same feather bonnets that pipers wear…that is not the case, even though the two look similar from even a short distance.
All Internet sources that I have looked at indicate that “Bearskin” is the correct name of the Palace Guards hats.
Hmm… Looking at the zoomed picture on the Wiki article, it seems to be pretty obvious that half those guys can’t see straight ahead. Doesn’t seem the wisest military fashion.
We once had a thread on the issue of impractical military head coverings. I believe it was theorized that wearing a silly hat communicates the wearer’s complete confidence that he and his buddies can (and very happily will) kick the ass of anyone trying to interfere with or comment on their headgear.
Military ceremonial uniforms are replete with elements that were originally very practical but have been modified over time to near-absurdity.
It’s ceremonial, not for war, and commemorates the victory over the French at Waterloo, where Napoleon’s prestigious Imperial Guard wore similar headgear.
The Bearskin is worn as ceremonial dress by the Guards Regiments only. These five regiments (Coldstream, Grenadier, Welsh, Scots & Irish) are, as the name suggests, the regiments whose job it is, along with the mounted Household Cavalry, to guard the Royal Family as part of what’s called the ‘Household Division’. They’re also, I ‘think’ the only regiments (along with the Household Cavalry) who still wear the famous/infamous red jackets as ceremonial dress.
If you ever see these fellas marching in formation towards you, they make a pretty surreal sight - the bearskin and the big boots make them look about 8 feet tall.
Guarding Her maj is only part of their duties. For their real jobs, they are elite infantry units, serving in all the latest adventures in the Middle East. They leave the bearskins at home. The Household Cavalry drive tanks for a living (modern horses).
'Tis rumoured that William will join the Welsh Guards when he graduates from Sandhurst, so expect to see him in a Bearskin soon.