King Charles Honours LGBTQ Military Personnel with New Memorial

Britain’s King Charles III on Monday led a historic ceremony to honour the contributions of LGBTQ individuals who served in the United Kingdom’s armed forces, unveiling the country’s first memorial dedicated to them.

The king laid a wreath at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire during the dedication of the monument titled “An Opened Letter.” The bronze sculpture, shaped like a twisted letter, features engraved words drawn from the testimonies of service members who suffered under a military ban on LGBTQ personnel that lasted until the year 2000.

Although Britain began decriminalising homosexuality in 1967, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people were prohibited from serving in the armed forces for more than three decades afterward. Many who were discovered or suspected of same-sex relationships were harassed, abused, dismissed from service, and stripped of pension benefits, leaving some to live in poverty.

“For hundreds of LGBT veterans, their experiences have been catastrophic, their lives and careers shattered,” said Brigadier Clare Phillips during the ceremony. “Today’s unveiling is about honouring those who fought discrimination and persecution so that we can now serve openly and proudly.”

The memorial was one of the 49 recommendations from the 2023 Etherton Review, a government-commissioned investigation that exposed the “horrendous” treatment of LGBTQ veterans between 1967 and 2000. The same year the report was published, then–Prime Minister Rishi Sunak issued a formal apology, describing the state’s treatment of LGBTQ personnel as “an appalling failure.”

To address these injustices, the UK government announced that affected former service members are now eligible for compensation of up to £70,000 ($93,000) each.

As head of the UK’s armed forces, King Charles’s participation in the event marks his first public engagement specifically focused on the LGBTQ community, a gesture widely seen as a significant step toward recognition and inclusion.