Prince George might have a busy summer ahead of him, which could include his enrolment in a "centuries-old" Royal Family "ritual," according to one royal expert. In spite of his mom Kate Middleton's alleged opposition to the "gruesome" activity, the young prince might have to take part, a royal author has suggested.
In the biography Prince Harry: The Inside Story, author Duncan Larcombe claimed that Prince George might be forced to take part in a "controversial pastime long enjoyed by his ancestors," per 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."
Larcombe further explained, "Years ago, Kate joined the royals on a shoot, but it's unclear whether George will be expected to follow suit."
It was previously reported that Kate Middleton had forbidden her three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—from taking part in the royal tradition of "blooding."
In the book Yes, Ma'am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants, author Tom Quinn revealed (via the Daily Mail), "Charles's daughter in-law, Catherine, Princess of Wales, has put her foot down and insisted there will be no blooding for her children."
In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry wrote about his own horrifying experience of the "blooding" tradition. Describing the moment a hunter pushed his head inside an animal carcass, Harry wrote (via Hello! magazine), "I tried to pull away, but Sandy pushed me deeper." He continued, "I was shocked by his insane strength. And by the infernal smell. My breakfast jumped up from my stomach."
