Kate Middleton has firmly decided that her three children—Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6—will not take part in an old royal hunting tradition called “blooding,” according to a new book by royal author Tom Quinn. Prince William also stole a kiss from Kate Middleton recently.
In his book Yes Ma’am — The Secret Life of Royal Servants, Quinn explains that this tradition involves smearing the blood of a first kill—whether from a fox or a stag—onto a young royal’s face during a hunt. While King Charles, Prince William, and Prince Harry all took part in this ritual in the past, Kate has put her foot down and said no for her children.
William still enjoys hunting, as he and his father always have, but Quinn notes that he is aware that public opinion is turning against blood sports. In his 2023 book Gilded Youth, Quinn also wrote that William is thinking about whether these traditions are still appropriate for his children.
Prince Harry gave a detailed account of his own experience with hunting in his 2023 memoir Spare. He described how, during a hunt at Balmoral Castle, his guide pressed his face into the belly wound of a stag as part of the ritual. Harry recalled struggling against the strong grip, being overwhelmed by the smell, and nearly choking on the blood and guts. Despite the unpleasant experience, he later felt a sense of pride, believing that he had killed the animal swiftly and painlessly while also helping to manage the deer population.
Balmoral Castle has since banned hunting, and animal rights groups like PETA criticized Harry for his descriptions.
Kate’s firm stance against the ritual shows a shift in royal traditions, as she and William continue to modernize the family’s approach to longstanding customs.
