Military Funeral Dress Code UK: What to Wear as a Veteran or Civilian

For Veterans: Lounge Suit, Regimental Tie, Medals on the Left

The standard dress code for veterans attending a UK military funeral in a civilian capacity is a dark lounge suit (navy, charcoal, or black) paired with a regimental or association tie. This is the universally understood default — smart, respectful, and distinctly military without requiring the veteran to be in uniform.

Medals are worn on the left breast of the suit jacket, mounted in full-size court order (the order they would be worn on parade, from the wearer's right to left). Miniature medals are for evening mess functions, not daytime funerals.

If the veteran was a member of the same regiment or unit as the deceased, wearing the regimental tie is a quiet but visible act of solidarity. If no regimental tie is available, a plain dark tie is perfectly acceptable.

For Serving Personnel: Service Dress

Serving personnel attending in an official capacity will typically be in their service dress uniform — the formal equivalent of a lounge suit for military personnel. The specific dress order is determined by the unit's commanding officer and communicated through the chain of command.

If serving personnel attend in a personal capacity (for example, as a friend rather than as a unit representative), they may choose between service dress and a civilian lounge suit. Most opt for service dress if they have a direct connection to the deceased.

For Civilians: Smart and Conservative

Civilian mourners follow the same conventions as any formal funeral:

• Dark colours — black, navy, charcoal grey
• Smart and conservative — no casual wear, no jeans, no trainers
• Women — a dark dress, suit, or skirt and blouse; low heels; no bright colours or bold patterns
• Men — a dark suit, white or muted shirt, dark tie

There is no expectation that civilians will wear anything military-related. What matters is that the overall appearance is respectful and does not draw attention away from the ceremony.

Carrying a Relative's Medals

Civilian next of kin and other near relatives may wear the deceased's medals on the right breast of their civilian clothing. This signals to other attendees that the medals are worn in tribute, not as the wearer's own. This convention is well understood at military gatherings.

The key restriction: a relative's medals must never be worn on a military uniform. Only the person who earned the medals may wear them in uniform. In civilian dress, near relatives such as a spouse, parent, sibling, or child may wear them on the right breast.

What to Avoid

A few specific things will stand out as inappropriate at a military funeral:

• Wearing another person's medals on the left breast — this implies the medals are your own and is considered a serious breach of etiquette
• Wearing a beret or headdress you are not entitled to — only wear regimental headgear if you served in that unit
• Wearing camouflage or combat dress — service dress (formal uniform) is the military standard for funerals, not field kit
• Bright colours or casual footwear — even if the family has said "no black," the safest choice at a military funeral is always dark and formal

Standard Bearers and Bearer Party Dress

Standard bearers wear their association blazer, beret, and medals, with white cotton gloves — never gauntlets — and no carrying sling. The bearer party (if from the deceased's regiment) wears service dress with No. 1 dress gloves.

These dress requirements are not the family's responsibility to enforce. The Royal British Legion and the regimental association manage the ceremonial party's turn-out. But knowing what to expect helps families understand the visual order of the day.

For the complete dress code guidance covering all three services, plus the ceremony cue sheet and planning timeline, see our Military Funeral — UK guide.