Historic First: King Charles Honours LGBTQ+ Military Service Members

King Charles III has, for the first time, formally acknowledged and honoured the United Kingdom’s LGBTQ+ military veterans and current service members.

On Monday, the King attended a dedication ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire to unveil a new memorial recognising all LGBTQ+ people who have served — and continue to serve — in the British Armed Forces.

The official Royal Family account on X noted that, throughout much of the 20th century, gay men, lesbians, and bisexual people were banned from serving in the UK military. Those suspected of being LGBTQ+ were investigated, arrested, and dismissed from service.

According to the BBC, it’s the King’s first official engagement in support of the LGBTQ+ community. In June, the Royal Family also celebrated Pride month by sharing a social media video of the Royal Corps of Army Music performing a rendition of queer pop star Chappell Roan’s Pink Pony Club.

A Memorial of Words and Healing

The newly unveiled memorial, designed by the artist collective Abraxas Academy, takes the form of a freestanding open letter.

It features words drawn from the testimonies of former service personnel affected by the ban, alongside contributions from current serving members and veterans.

“We see all the LGBT+ serving members and veterans of the Armed Forces, and we salute you,” read a message from the Royal Family.

Progress After Decades of Discrimination

LGBTQ+ personnel have been allowed to serve openly in the UK Armed Forces since 2000, following a landmark ruling by the European Court of Human Rights, which found the ban to be unlawful and a violation of the right to privacy.

In 2023, then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace issued a formal apology on behalf of the UK Government for the historic mistreatment of LGBTQ+ veterans, describing it as an “appalling failure of the British state.”

Honouring the Past, Embracing the Future

The Ministry of Defence described the new memorial as “a historic step for healing and reconciliation,” calling it “a moment to honour the past and celebrate a future where everyone can serve with pride.”

LGBTQ+ rights organisation Stonewall, which successfully challenged the UK’s military ban before the European Court of Human Rights, welcomed the memorial as “a long-awaited moment of recognition, and a powerful tribute to those who suffered when they just wanted to serve their country.”

Today marks a historic step for healing and reconciliation.

His Majesty The King @royalfamily attended the dedication of the new LGBT+ Armed Forces Memorial at the @nat_mem_arb

A moment to honour the past and celebrate a future where everyone can serve with pride. pic.twitter.com/xYryQVLzEe

— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) October 27, 2025