King Charles to lay flowers at historic new LGBT memorial
Memorial honours those affected by military ‘gay ban’
- King Charles is set to dedicate the UK's inaugural national memorial honouring LGBT+ armed forces personnel at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
- The memorial commemorates those impacted by the military's historic "gay ban", enforced from 1967 until 2000, which resulted in the dismissal and mistreatment of thousands.
- As head of the armed forces, the King will lay flowers and meet LGBT+ veterans and serving personnel, hearing accounts of past discrimination.
- Veterans have expressed profound emotional relief and pride at the long-awaited recognition, having endured lifelong consequences from the ban.
- The dedication follows a 2023 apology from then-prime minister Rishi Sunak and the implementation of a redress scheme offering up to £70,000 in financial reparations to affected veterans.