King Charles has laid flowers at the UK’s first national memorial dedicated to LGBT members of the armed forces, paying tribute to veterans who suffered under the military’s former gay ban.
The memorial, titled An Opened Letter, was unveiled at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire in what marked the King’s first official engagement in support of the LGBT community.
The event brought together serving personnel and veterans, including many whose military careers were cut short before the ban was abolished in 2000.
From 1967 to January 2000, thousands of service members were investigated, dismissed, or forced to resign because of their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
Many lost pensions, were ostracised by family and friends, and carried trauma for decades.
Speaking at the ceremony, Brig Clare Phillips told the 300 attendees: “For hundreds of LGBT veterans, their experiences have been catastrophic – their lives and careers shattered. Today is about saying to our veterans: you belong, and you always did.”
The memorial, funded by a £350,000 grant from the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, was created by the Abraxas Academy collective. The bronze sculpture takes the form of a crumpled letter engraved with words from those affected by the ban.
LGBT military charity Fighting With Pride, which led the project, described the memorial as a powerful step forward in recognising both the suffering and service of LGBT personnel.
The ceremony also revived memories of injustice. Carol Morgan, expelled from the army in the 1970s, recalled being interrogated and later hiding her sexuality for more than 36 years.
Former RAF firefighter Carl Austin-Behan, dismissed in 1997, said he “lost everything” because of who he was.
The memorial follows a formal apology in 2023 by then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for the horrific treatment of LGBT service members. For many, Monday’s ceremony signalled long-awaited acknowledgement and the beginning of healing.
