It was a day for the Royals to be truly proud of. On Saturday, Britain celebrated the Queen’s birthday with the Trooping the Colours – a colourful and noisy parade through London. But the highlight of the day – especially for party boys Princes William and Harry, I’m sure – was catching a sight of three Union Jack bikini-clad women holding ‘God Save the Bears’ signs high above the crowd.

Getting into the party spirit, the near-naked PETA ladies hollered “God Save the Bears - Stop Killing Bears” over and over again ‘til they got, erm, detained by the police. Harry was even spotted explaining to William what was being shouted and why (that their nan won’t budge to help bears), and both seemed to take the protest in stride.

Thanks to the girls who bared all for the bears, and the guys who dutifully held them on their shoulders, l-r Sara Perrson & Christopher Virta, Marie Perrson & Bruce Friedrich, Fleur Disney & Sten Vermeiren.

The Queen was given a royal welcome yesterday when she attended the VIP day at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Our PETA bear tells us that he’s sure the Queen and other members of the Royal Family saw him – well, who could miss a big, fluffy bear holding a ‘God Save The Bears’ sign at the entrance to this world-famous horticultural event. Such a beautiful and peaceful occasion; perfect for reminding the Queen and her devotees of the horrific plight of black bears that are killed for the Guards’ ceremonial caps.

In a multi-party effort, MPs from all three major political parties have sent shocking footage of bear hunting to all of their colleagues. Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe, Labour MP Chris Mullin and Liberal Democrat MP Mike Hancock are calling on their parties to help end the slaughter of Canadian black bears and the squandering of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) budget on caps made from black-bear fur.

“Polls show that 80 per cent of Britons oppose the waste of taxpayer funds on the cruel and barbaric bear killings for the guards’ caps”, explain the MPs in the letter that accompanies the video. “Please join me in calling on the Ministry of Defence to end this cruelty – you will clearly be carrying out the wishes of the vast majority of your constituents.”

Wow, lots of politicians will have read that letter and I certainly hope many watched the video. Now we have to wait and see if they do something about it…

The bear’s travels around the Caribbean are now sadly over, but not without going out in style!

“Today we drove 4 hours to Montego Bay where we’d arranged for a boat to take us as close as possible to The Prince’s yacht, The Leander. When we arrived security was familiarly tight so, we asked around and discovered Charles and Camilla were having a party at the same resort, right near the beach where we’d board.

Here’s a photo near The Leander.

Then we headed back to the resort JUST in time for the party but we had to be subtle so, the bear laid down in the boat as we approached:

And were greeted by some of the children there to perform and greet the royals:

And then we just walked in…

We mingled with a few guests.

Then we were spotted by one of Charles’s chief security officers. We know him. He knows us.

We were escorted off premises and interrogated for a long while. But a great day had by all.”

I promised you an update on our bear’s US cousin who has been busy following Prince Charles and Camilla around the Caribbean – and here it is! Check out these great photos from outside the Bob Marley museum in Kingston, Jamaica where I hear the bear was jamming along to reggae music and making everybody laugh.

Melissa from PETA US says, “As the prince was leaving, I was able to sneak back across the street (bear not allowed) in my PETA t-shirt and with the sign, and got right next to his car as it was pulling out. We were only a few feet from each other and after some persistent waving on my part, he smiled and waved at me while his car was paused right beside me.”

The bear has been greeting the Royals on every leg of their Caribbean tour to encourage them and the MoD to drop real bearskin from the Queen’s Guards’ Caps.

So according to the terrific media coverage on the Ann Widdecombe appeal against Guards’ bearskin hats yesterday, the MoD PR machine sent out a totally misleading statement about being “in discussions with PETA.” What a load of nonsense! We talk and they don’t listen and that’s been the story for years… We’ve given them designers, designs and synthetics but they won’t budge. Sure, they are working on public relations but not on stopping bear slaughter for hats. The MOD have the resources to do what 80 percent of the British public want, so you know, get on with it!

Watch the video and see for yourself, then show it to everyone who can hold a pen or click a mouse. Check out the letter we sent to the MoD today.

Click here to see it in full

Today in the House of Commons, MP superstar Ann Widdecombe unveiled footage of black bear hunting in Canada - something the Ministry of Defence currently funds with the Queen’s Guards’ Caps. The MoD has spent over £320,000 on bearskin caps in the past five years alone. But Ann isn’t alone in the quest for kindness, as recently over 200 MPs signed an Early Day Motion calling on the government to switch to a modern and humane synthetic fabric. At the press conference, Ann was wonderful - giving a positive and emotional speech to masses of media about PETA’s highly important bearskin campaign.

Check her out in an interview with Friction TV below.

Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe will unveil shocking new undercover footage of black bear hunting in the House of Commons on Monday, putting pressure on the MoD to drop the real bearskin Queen’s Guards’ caps. The courageous and fiery MP will expose bear hunting for what it really is - cruel and completely unnecessary when luxurious synthetic alternatives are available. Go Ann! Oh how PETA loves her.

This is such exciting news - you can just imagine the politicians sitting around in their grey suits bawking at the sight of such horrific footage. This will surely spur on even more of them to stand up to the MoD and stop this madness. I’ll bring you a full report on Monday.

Today The Sun reported on the shocking blood-sport of black bear hunting for the ‘super-rich’ in Russia. I just went to the link provided in the double page spread, which shows video footage of a millionaire shooting a beautiful black bear in a snowy woodland – I now feel sick.

It may be for a different ‘purpose’ but this can be easily compared to our campaign against black bear hunting for the Queen’s Guards’ caps, which is equally as sickening and a little closer to home. Killing bears for profit, entertainment or ornamental headgear is plain wrong.

Did you know that it takes as much as the hide of one whole bear for just one headpiece? Hunters in Canada may shoot the bears several times when they fail to die instantly and some escape wounded only to die slowly from blood loss, gangrene, starvation or dehydration.

You can learn more about this trade here.

PETA wants the Ministry of Defence to switch to luxurious faux alternatives, and I’m sure the Guards do as well – who wants to walk around with an animal carcass on their head all day?

Guards image: MSNBC / Creative Commons