Duke of Wellington traffic cone hat given Ukrainian flag makeover

The famous traffic cone hat, worn by the Duke of Wellington in Royal Exchange Square has been given a makeover in support of Ukraine.
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Pauline McWhirter, from Glasgow, crocheted a blue and yellow cover for the cone, which now also has sunflowers - Ukraine’s national flower - coming out of the top.

On Saturday (5 March) night, Pauline’s husband climbed a ladder to place the new-look cone on top of the Duke’s head.

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Mrs McWhirter made the traffic cone cover after her daughter suggested it, and has previously crocheted decorations for post boxes.

Jeff J Mitchell/Getty ImagesJeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

She said: “Probably like all Glaswegians everybody is feeling a wee bit helpless in what can we do and how do we do it.

“For me the only thing that I had was a wee bit of power in crocheting in making a stand, so I crocheted the hat and my husband put it up and it’s basically giving out a message saying we stand with Ukraine.

“I just did it in one day. It’s just awful seeing what is happening in Ukraine and everybody feels so helpless. People make Glasgow, that is just the truest saying anybody ever came up with.

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“That cone is a very, very, very small gesture and it’s just something that as a family we came up with. It was my daughter Emma’s idea and my husband put it up, I only did the crochet work. As he was putting it up people passing by started cheering and clapping which was really nice.

“If we can send a message to one Ukrainian person residing in Glasgow then job done.”

Her daughter Emma Shearer tweeted a video of the cone being put up.

The statue’s famous cone hat has been decorated with an EU flag on Brexit day in 2020 and a rainbow flag during Pride.

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It is thought that the traffic cone was first placed on the statue as a hat in the 80s and is widely believed to be the handiwork of a drunk/intrepid student.

The A-listed Duke of Wellington monument has worn a bright orange traffic cone for most of the last three decades.

The practice of placing a cone on the statue has become a long-standing tradition, and is often said to represent Glasgow’s irreverent sense of humour, as well as a symbolic affront to authority and pomposity. Despite (or because of) the two-time Prime Minister’s incongruous headgear, the statue has become famous worldwide, and is listed by the Lonely Planet guide as being among the world’s oddest monuments.

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