King Charles has unveiled the United Kingdom’s first memorial dedicated to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender military personnel, marking his first official engagement in support of the LGBT community.
The government-funded memorial, titled “Letter of Love”, honors both current servicemembers and veterans affected by the historic ban on LGBT individuals serving openly in the British Armed Forces.
The bronze sculpture, shaped like a folded letter, incorporates words from personal messages once used as evidence to prosecute or dismiss LGBT officers under the discriminatory ban — symbolizing the pain and secrecy many endured.
Dressed in a dark military suit adorned with medals, King Charles, who serves as the ceremonial head of the armed forces, laid flowers at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire during the unveiling ceremony.
Brigadier Claire Phillips, who joined the army in 1995 when open homosexuality was still prohibited, said the design deeply moved her:
“This memorial uses the words of our veterans and serving personnel to describe what it felt like to be persecuted — it’s a beautiful step toward reconciliation,” she told Sky News.
The unveiling follows recommendations from a government-commissioned independent inquiry that exposed widespread abuse — including sexual assaults and unlawful dismissals — of LGBT servicemembers during the decades-long ban.
