Prince George set to join royal family's summer hunting tradition, says insider

Prince George could soon be introduced to a centuries-old royal hunting ritual during the royal family’s annual summer retreat to Balmoral, according to royal expert Duncan Larcombe. 

The 11-year-old son of Prince William and Kate Middleton may be invited to take part in a traditional stag hunt, complete with a grisly initiation.

In his book Prince Harry: The Inside Story, Larcombe reveals that the royal tradition includes the practice of smearing the blood of a hunter’s first kill on their face, a rite of passage historically passed down through generations. 

“It was reported that he will join his father on a stag-hunting shoot,” he wrote, adding that “traditionally, the blood of a hunter's first kill is spread on their face.”

Prince Harry recalled a similar experience in his memoir Spare, describing how his nanny smeared rabbit blood on his face after a hunt.

While the Palace has declined to comment on the rumours, the royal family has a long history of hunting. 

Whether Prince George will be expected to partake in the controversial ritual remains unclear, especially given increasing public scrutiny around animal rights and royal traditions.

RELATED: Prince George set to become landlord to thousands when he gets this title