LONDON (AP) — King Charles III on Monday dedicated Britain’s first national memorial to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender troops, marking a significant milestone 25 years after the U.K. ended its ban on homosexuality in the armed forces.
The king, who serves as the ceremonial head of the armed forces, laid flowers at the monument located in the National Memorial Arboretum in central England. The dedication ceremony was attended by scores of serving troops and veterans.
The memorial takes the form of a crumpled bronze letter inscribed with words from personnel who were affected by the ban. Between 1967 and 2000, soldiers, sailors, and air force personnel who were known or suspected to be gay or transgender were deemed unfit to serve and subsequently dismissed or discharged from the forces. Many faced harsh consequences — some were stripped of their medals or lost their pension rights, and countless individuals struggled with the stigma for decades.
The government lifted the ban following a 1999 ruling by the European Court of Human Rights. In 2023, then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak issued a formal apology, calling the ban “an appalling failure of the British state.” Alongside the apology, a compensation program was established, offering veterans who had been dismissed due to their sexual orientation or gender identity up to £70,000 ($93,000) each.
The LGBTQ+ military charity Fighting with Pride welcomed the monument, describing it as a “powerful step forward in recognizing and honoring the service and sacrifices” of gay and transgender troops.
Claire Ashton, who was forced to leave the Royal Artillery in 1972 at the age of 21, reflected on the moment as something she “never believed would happen.” She called it “a moment full of meaning and, finally, of pride.”
“As someone in my 70s now, I have lived with the psychological scars of being medically discharged,” Ashton said. “It means so much to be with others who’ve experienced similar nightmares and who, like me, are making peace with the past.”
Brigadier Clare Phillips addressed the audience at the ceremony, sharing her personal journey. “As a gay woman who has served in the British Army for 30 years, my career has taken me from a life of secrecy, fear, and darkness to one of pride, openness, and joy,” she said.
“For the serving community, today’s unveiling of this incredible memorial is about remembering that we stand on the shoulders of giants — those who fought discrimination and persecution so that we can now serve openly and proudly,” Brig. Phillips added.
https://wtop.com/world/2025/10/king-charles-iii-dedicates-britains-first-national-memorial-to-lgbtq-troops/