King Charles III recently unveiled a memorial dedicated to LGBTQ+ military service members at the U.K.’s National Memorial Arboretum. The memorial is the first of its kind and recognizes current LGBTQ+ military personnel as well as those who have faced injury or death serving the U.K. The memorial, entitled “An Opened Letter,” is meant to serve “as a place of reflection, recognition, and remembrance, ensuring that the stories of those who served, and those who suffered, are never forgotten.”
Homosexuality was decriminalized in the U.K. in 1967, but a military ban on LGBTQ+ personnel lasted until 2000. Those who were suspected of identifying as LGBTQ+ in the military underwent investigations that probed into their private lives. LGBTQ Nation reports these investigations led to personnel dismissals without pay or pension, and some were sentenced to time in prison. LGBTQ+ participation in the British armed forces saw a turning point in 2006, when serving personnel from all three branches of the Armed Forces marched publicly in London Pride for the first time, according to the site.
In revealing the new memorial, King Charles III acknowledged his support of the LGBTQ+ for the first time since becoming King in September 2022. Prior to the announcement, King Charles and much of the royal family have neglected to speak on LGBTQ+ rights in public. However, King Charles’ sons, Prince William and Harry have voiced support for the community via HIV initiatives.
King Charles is not the only important British figure to pay tribute to the memorial. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the memorial “stands as a lasting tribute to the bravery and service of these veterans,” according to BBC.
The memorial’s official site includes historical information on LGBTQ+ people in the military and the unjust treatment they faced. Britain’s minister for veterans, Louise Sandher-Jones told BBC she was “horrified” to discover how LGBTQ+ service members were treated under the ban.
The memorial is just one of 49 recommendations made by The Etherton Review, an independent report commissioned by the U.K. government which evaluated the treatment of LGBTQ+ veterans who served during the ban. Various veterans reported experiencing intrusive investigations and even sexual assault to the BBC.
The physical memorial resembles a crumpled piece of paper and features the words from personal letters found in investigations and used to incriminate service members while the ban was still in place, according to LGBTQ Nation.
Today, LGBTQ+ military service members still don’t always get the recognition they deserve across the globe. In the U.S. the Trump Administration imposed a ban on trans military servicemembers just this year.
