7 July 2025, 10:19
Prince George of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge attend The Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final on July 10, 2022.
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Prince George could be ‘initiated’ into a ‘gruesome’ centuries-old Royal tradition this summer, even though his mum Kate Middleton is thought to oppose the practice.
According to a royal expert, William and Kate’s eldest child will take part in the ancient tradition this summer.
In the biography Prince Harry: The Inside Story, author Duncan Larcombe wrote that George might have to take part in the “controversial pastime long enjoyed by his ancestors,” according to the Express.
“The Palace has refused to comment on claims that Prince George will be initiated into one of the slightly more gruesome royal traditions this summer,” Larcombe wrote.
“It was reported that he will join his father on a stag-hunting shoot while they visit the Balmoral Estate this month.
“Traditionally, the blood of a hunter’s first kill is spread on their face, a ritual that goes back centuries.”
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Queen Elizabeth II and Prince George of Cambridge stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the Platinum Pageant on June 5, 2022 in London, England.
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Red Deer herd in Richmond park London Uk.
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Larcombe added: “Years ago, Kate joined the royals on a shoot, but it’s unclear whether George will be expected to follow suit.”
It is understood that Kate, Princess of Wales, had forbidden her three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis from carrying out the royal tradition known as “blooding.”
According to a new book – “Yes Ma’am – The Secret Life of Royal Servants” by Tom Quinn – the princess was adamant they do not take part.
The ancient ritual is the practice having blood smeared on your face after your first kill while hunting – usually a fox or stag.
In an extract obtained by FEMAIL, the author writes: “Charles’s daughter in-law, Catherine, Princess of Wales, has put her foot down and insisted there will be no blooding for her children.”
The source reported that the King has completed the tradition, as has Prince William and Prince Harry.
In his book Spare, the Duke of Sussex described his experience, as his hunting guide Sandy bled a stag from its neck on the grounds of Balmoral.
He wrote: “He placed a hand gently behind my neck, and… pushed my head inside the carcass
“I tried to pull away, but Sandy pushed me deeper. I was shocked by his insane strength. And by the infernal smell. My breakfast jumped up from my stomach.
“After a minute I couldn’t smell anything, because I couldn’t breathe. My nose and mouth were full of blood, guts and a deep, upsetting warmth.”
After the release of Spare, animal charity PETA criticised the Prince for his graphic descriptions of the tradition.
Harry added it was a ‘show of respect for the slain’, and ‘an act of communion by the slayer’.
In another Royal book by Tom Quinn, Gilded Youth, he describes how Prince William is moving away from the bloody traditions around hunting.
He said: “William loves shooting—a love he shares with his father—but he is also conscious that the tide is now moving against what many people now refer to as blood sports (the royals prefer to refer to them as field sports).
“But are they suitable for George, Charlotte and Louis?”