An animal rights group trying to get real fur out of the bearskin caps worn by King’s Guards at Buckingham Palace took aim Thursday at the cost of the

The bearskin caps worn by soldiers outside Buckingham Palace now cost over £2,000 each, according to data from the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The price of these ceremonial caps, made from black bear fur, surged by 30% in a single year, as shown in figures disclosed in response to a Freedom of Information request by animal welfare advocates.

The hats, made of black bear fur, cost more than $2,600 apiece—up 30% from last year.

The distinctive tall black hats, worn by guards in bright scarlet tunics, are seen by millions who watch the regular changing of the guard ceremony at the palace

PETA's main arguments about the bearskin caps worn by the soldiers stationed outside Buckingham Palace are unsurprising: It says the Canadian black bears whose fur is used could suffer painful deaths by crossbow,