---
title: "King Charles to unveil UK's first LGBT armed forces memorial"
description: "King Charles will on Monday unveil a memorial dedicated to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender military personnel, marking his first official engagement in support of the LGBT community."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-10-27-king-charles-to-unveil-uks-first-lgbt-armed-forces-memorial/"
published: "2025-10-27T12:56:53"
updated: "2025-10-27T12:56:54"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 293
---

# King Charles to unveil UK's first LGBT armed forces memorial

> King Charles will on Monday unveil a memorial dedicated to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender military personnel, marking his first official engagement in support of the LGBT community.

By Reuters · Published 27 October 2025, 14:56 SAST · Updated 27 October 2025, 14:56 SAST

## Key points
- In a poignant twist of irony, the UK government is finally acknowledging its past sins against LGBT military personnel with a bronze memorial that literally folds in the painful words of those who were once deemed unfit to serve, as Charles prepares to lay flowers on a testament to both valor and vindication.
- The "Open Letter" memorial, funded by the government, honors current service members and veterans affected by the British military's historic ban on LGBT officers, lifted in 2000.
- The bronze sculpture features crumpled letters with incriminating words, symbolizing the pain endured by those targeted by the ban.
- Commander-in-chief Charles is set to lay flowers at the memorial in Staffordshire, marking a significant moment for reconciliation.
- Survivors, like Brigadier Claire Phillips and Sergeant Alastair Smith, reflect on the lasting impact of the ban and the ongoing journey toward acceptance within the military.

## Content

The government-funded "Open Letter" memorial is designed to honour those currently serving and commemorate veterans affected by the British military's ban on LGBT officers, which was lifted in 2000, 33 years after male homosexuality was partially decriminalised in England and Wales.

A bronze sculpture, it resembles a crumpled free-standing letter containing words from personal messages that were used as evidence to incriminate individuals.

Charles, the commander-in-chief of the British armed forces, is expected to lay flowers at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

Claire Phillips, a lesbian brigadier who joined the army in 1995 when being openly gay was still banned, said the memorial's design resonated deeply with her and is "such an amazing way of representing people who are so incredibly damaged by the ban."

"This design uses the words of our veterans and service personnel to describe how it felt to be subject to the ban... to begin that process of reconciliation," she told Sky News. "I'm just deeply, deeply honoured to be here today."

Alastair Smith, a gay sergeant who joined the army in 1998, told Sky News that while it took time for attitudes to change in the army he had not faced any prejudice there, but had done in civilian life.

"There are people from the LGBT community who have that gusto, that determination and that drive to perform for their country despite whatever insurmountable odds they may face elsewhere," he said.

The unveiling of the memorial follows recommendations from an independent investigation commissioned by the British government, which reported systemic abuse, including sexual assault and dismissal of LGBT service members.

The government has offered financial redress of up to 70,000 pounds ($93,947) to those impacted.

($1 = 0.7451 pounds)

(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti; Editing by Conor Humphries)