Why do the Queen’s guard wear bearskins?

Why are the Queen’s guard wearing bearskins on their heads?

Mystery Hour Question

Why are the Queen’s guard wearing bearskins on their heads?

Elsa, Islington

Answer

Name: Andy, Slough

Qualification: In the Queen’s Guard for six years

Answer: The origins are that every gunner in the British military and the French military wore bearskin caps to make them taller and more intimidating because they were the ones that did the hand to hand fighting. In Napoleon’s imperial guard everybody wore them, and they were supposed to be his elite troops. They weren’t a touch on the British guard at the battle of Waterloo and we handed to them. We captured the hats as trophies.