King Charles cap badge delay: Due to concerns raised by British Army chiefs that the insignia may be manufactured in China, giving Beijing the ability to implant tracking devices into them, the introduction of the King Charles cap badge, which was specifically redesigned to commemorate his accession to the throne, has been delayed.
The King’s preferred Tudor crown has replaced the St. Edwards crown on the “cap badges” of regiments with royal crests on their berets.
Nevertheless, Wyedean Weaving, the Yorkshire-based business that was awarded the contract to create the badges, uses factories in China, which has caused a snag, according to the Financial Times.
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“There is a fear that tracking devices or a GPS transmitter could be embedded in the cap badges,” a senior UK defense official stated.
Currently, Wyedean Weaving Co. Ltd. is the supplier for His Majesty the King’s Coronation, along with Firmin & Sons, which holds a contract for the supply of military badges.
As far as Express.co.uk is aware, no particular decision has been made regarding outsourcing to China, and all procurement laws are based on what offers the taxpayer the best value for their money.
According to a spokesman for the Ministry of Defence, “A UK-based company supplies current cap badges, with procurement carried out in line with standard regulations.”
“Once their requirements are finalized, new cap badges will be procured.”
Two years ago, there was a major controversy in Australia due to allegations that the military there was spending millions of dollars a year on boots and uniforms made in China.
British army badges are worn on berets and other military headgear to identify a soldier’s regiment. They are typically made of metal for all ranks and embroidered cloth for officers.
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Numerous regimental crests also feature a crown or the monarch’s initials, which will need to be altered following Elizabeth II’s passing in 2022.
The US-listed defense services company Leidos awarded Wyedean a 2.9 million, three-year subcontract in 2022 to manufacture badges for the UK military.
Wyedean’s systems director, Susannah Walbank, stated that the family-run business was still awaiting final clearance before beginning work on the badges.
She went on, “We have been in China for 15 years, have long-standing relationships there, and there has never been any concern. China is part of our supply chains.”
The new cap badges, according to her, will be produced “in a mix of places, including China.”
