Actress Lucy Davis Advocates for Faux Fur in Royal Guard Caps Amid Cancer Battle

Actress Lucy Davis has publicly urged the UK government to replace real bear fur used for the King's Guard's caps with faux fur, in an appeal made during her ongoing battle with incurable cancer. Davis, 53, who announced in August that she has been diagnosed with stage four breast cancer, penned a letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham requesting an urgent directive to the Ministry of Defence.

In her letter, the lifelong PETA ally stated that faux fur technology has advanced significantly, making it possible to preserve the grandeur of the King's Guards' caps without harming bears. "I've spent much of my life advocating for animals and being recently diagnosed with incurable cancer has inevitably made me think more about the time I have left," Davis wrote. She expressed hope that she will live to see Britain commit to fur-free caps.

Davis's appeal comes nearly two decades after she participated in a protest involving nudity to advocate for an end to the use of fur in ceremonial caps. The Ministry of Defence procures these caps from manufacturers who source bear fur from Canada. A PETA video exposé from 2024 revealed that hunters often use bait to attract bears before shooting them with high-powered crossbows, a practice illegal in the UK. PETA claims that this method often results in bears being shot multiple times, with some escaping only to suffer prolonged deaths.

This advocacy work follows Davis's public announcement of her cancer diagnosis. She shared that she discovered a lump a year prior to her diagnosis but initially disregarded it. Despite being told the cancer is incurable, Davis has expressed a sense of peace with her situation. She shared a video of herself ringing a cancer treatment bell, noting that chemotherapy was no longer an option for her.

Davis is widely recognized for her role as Dawn Tinsley in Ricky Gervais's comedy series The Office and also appeared in the DC film Wonder Woman. Recently, she delighted fans by collaborating with Caroline Rhea, her former co-star from Sabrina The Teenage Witch, in a humorous Instagram video. The clip promoted a VIP meet-and-greet event in Salem, Massachusetts, playing on their shared role as Aunt Hilda in different iterations of the show. Davis portrayed Aunt Hilda in Netflix's The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018-2020), while Rhea played the character in the original ABC series (1996-2003).

Fans reacted positively to the video, expressing joy at seeing Davis active and engaged. Many shared their support for her health journey and admiration for both actresses' portrayals of Aunt Hilda.

![Meanwhile, Lucy took on the same role in Netflix's rebooted version of the much-loved teen show – called The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina – between 2018-2020