Prince George could be introduced to a centuries-old royal tradition at Balmoral this summer, as part of his first stag hunt alongside his father Prince William.
The 11-year-old heir to the throne may follow in the footsteps of his great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, who was famously fond of deer stalking at the Scottish estate.
The ritual includes a gruesome ritual where the blood of a hunter's first kill is spread on their face, a practice that has been performed by royal families and aristocrats for centuries.
The young prince would be the latest in a long line of royals to take part in this controversial custom.
Prince George could be set to be introduced to a 'gruesome' royal hunting tradition this summer as part of his first stag hunt at Balmoral
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Royal author Duncan Larcombe, said that it was understood George "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 told 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."
It remains unclear whether George's younger siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, will eventually participate in the tradition.
The ancient ritual would see the blood of the hunter's first kill spread on their face
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The discussion on Prince George's next step comes as King Charles has been dispensing with other long-held royal traditions.
The Royal Family has a long-standing tradition of hunting, with the late Queen Elizabeth known for her love of deer stalking and enjoying days out hunting with her husband, the late Prince Philip, and her family.
This even extended to Indian tiger hunts alongside Prince Philip during the 1960s.
Balmoral held a special place in the late Queen's heart, where she enjoyed the secluded nature of her Scottish home.
That centuries old ritual has been practised as recently as the previous generation of royals, with Prince Harry noting his own experience.
Hunting and deer stalking has been a beloved pastime of the Royal Family for generations
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The Duke of Sussex recounted having his head pushed inside a deer carcass after shooting a deer on the Balmoral Estate.
He also reflected on the time his nanny, Tiggy Legge-Bourke, "smeared" a "dollop" of rabbit's blood "tenderly across his forehead, down his cheeks and nose" after he had killed a rabbit.
While the exact opinion on such rituals among other royals is currently unknown, King Charles is thought to have mounted a philosophical defence of fox hunting in 2002.
He is said to have made the case with then-Prime Minister Tony Blair as a ban on the practice was being mulled.
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The King argued fox hunting was: "Natural-in that it relies entirely on man's ancient and, indeed, romantic relationship with dogs and horses."
Regardless of his potential initiation into the ancient tradition, Prince George has never been known as the squeamish sort.
Prince William revealed in 2021 that George is "obsessed" with snakes, suggesting the young prince is not frightened of animals or activities many would consider uncomfortable.
"George is obsessed with snakes, he's going to be so upset he missed this," William said whilst holding a snake during a visit to Ulster University's Magee Campus.
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