King Charles Unveils Memorial To LGBTQ Soldiers
The BBC reports: King Charles III has unveiled a memorial to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender military personnel after a decades-long campaign against a ban on being gay in the armed forces. In his first official engagement in support of the LGBT+ community, the King visited the sculpture, named “an opened letter”, at the National … The post King Charles Unveils Memorial To LGBTQ Soldiers appeared first on Joe.My.God..

The BBC reports:
King Charles III has unveiled a memorial to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender military personnel after a decades-long campaign against a ban on being gay in the armed forces. In his first official engagement in support of the LGBT+ community, the King visited the sculpture, named “an opened letter”, at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
The memorial is dedicated to those from the LGBT+ community now serving in the forces, as well as those who served at a time when it was illegal to be gay in the military. During the ban, which lasted until the year 2000, those who were gay – or were perceived to be – faced intrusive investigations, dismissal and in some cases imprisonment.
Affected veterans, many of whom attended the ceremony on Monday, said the monument signified “closure” after years of campaigning first to change the law, and then to push the government to make reparations.
Read the full article.
Per the artists, the sculpture represents a “crumpled letter used to incriminate people.”
There was a very recent time when US armed forces would praise such an event, as British forces do below.
The King arrives at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire to view the UK’s first memorial to LGBT military personnel who suffered for years under the armed forces’ homophobic laws. pic.twitter.com/k1j4Vsur26
— Emily Ferguson (@emilyinpalace) October 27, 2025
‘That double life meant I never had a boyfriend, or any gay friends.’
The ban against LGBT people serving in the armed forces was lifted 25 years ago. Today, King Charles will present a memorial to them.
Royal Navy veteran Patrick Lyster-Todd speaks to @GarethBarlow pic.twitter.com/awfDXXjGqL
— Sky News (@SkyNews) October 27, 2025
The King will present a memorial, dedicated to current and former LGBT+ service personnel, marking 25 years since the ban preventing them from serving was lifted.
@MattBarbet speaks to Brigadier Claire Phillips and Sergeant Alastair Smith.https://t.co/CTe3uEiNpf pic.twitter.com/vAq6J0hxJJ
— Sky News (@SkyNews) October 27, 2025
His Majesty King Charles has unveiled a new memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum, honouring LGBT+ service personnel who were once banned from serving because of their sexuality.
We are proud to have supported Fighting With Pride, the charity behind this historic project,… pic.twitter.com/ewn7RS48nC
— Veterans’ Foundation (@VeteransFdn) October 27, 2025
At the National Memorial Arboretum for the dedication of the first memorial to LGBT veterans.
King Charles is attending the ceremony with more than a hundred veterans, many of whom were discharged under the ban in place until the year 2,000 pic.twitter.com/EZSASq6GH4
— Mikey Smith (@mikeysmith) October 27, 2025
A public memorial to honour all LGBT+ service people past and present has been dedicated at a ceremony held at the @Nat_Mem_Arb unveiled by HM The King. The RAF was represented by Air Vice-Marshal Edwards. pic.twitter.com/9052OdDZ4K
— Royal Air Force (@RoyalAirForce) October 27, 2025
“We don’t want to forget, we want to remember.”
25 years from the end of the LGBT+ ban in the military, a monument to their courage is unveiled. It could not have arrived at a more relevant moment. Everywhere we look today, we see that progress can be undone all too easily. ~AA pic.twitter.com/KYLOejQBIT
— Best for Britain (@BestForBritain) October 27, 2025
“The very fact that His Majesty is attending today’s memorial is a really important message to everybody that we have moved on.”
Prof Andrew Hartle, a former RAF doctor who was dismissed for being gay in the 90s, talks about the new memorial due to be unveiled today.#R4Today pic.twitter.com/6xs0MirWhQ
— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) October 27, 2025
Honoured to meet Nina & James from North Norfolk today – the artists behind the new memorial to LGBT+ veterans
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For too long, many faced discrimination just for serving.
Proud this tribute was forged locally at Holkham Forge
#LGBTQ #Veterans pic.twitter.com/0rLH9yHEF1
— Steff Aquarone MP (@Steffanaquarone) October 21, 2025
King Charles attends UK’s first LGBTQ+ Armed Forces memorial honouring gay ban survivors https://t.co/vipvjoxSrF
— Attitude Magazine (@AttitudeMag) October 27, 2025
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