Marie Claire
  • Celebrity
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Culture
  • Power
  • Nice Talk
  • Style at Large
  • More
    • Politics
    • Career & Money
    • Health & Fitness
    • Power Play
    • Travel
    • Promo Codes
    • Food & Cocktails
    • About Us
    • Subscribe
    • Sex & Love
  • Newsletter SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Marie Claire
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    The ultimate daily digest for women of power, purpose, and style.


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    Want to add more newsletters?

    Marie Claire Daily

    Delivered daily

    Marie Claire Daily

    Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Sent weekly on Saturday

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Exclusive access to expert shopping and styling advice from Nikki Ogunnaike, Marie Claire's editor-in-chief.

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Once a week

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Insider tips and recommendations for skin, hair, makeup, nails and more from Hannah Baxter, Marie Claire's beauty director.

    Livingetc

    Once a week

    Livingetc

    Your shortcut to the now and the next in contemporary home decoration, from designing a fashion-forward kitchen to decoding color schemes, and the latest interiors trends.

    Homes & Gardens

    Delivered Daily

    Homes & Gardens

    The ultimate interior design resource from the world's leading experts - discover inspiring decorating ideas, color scheming know-how, garden inspiration and shopping expertise.


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Uniqlo x Cecilie Bahnsen
    • Perfume Necklaces
    • The Board Whisperers
    • Choulie
    • Holiday Movies
    1. Celebrity
    2. Royals

    The "Centuries-Old Ritual" Prince George Might Be "Initiated Into" This Summer, Even Though Kate Middleton Disagrees With "Gruesome" Royal Tradition

    "The Palace has refused to comment."

    Amy Mackelden's avatar
    By Amy Mackelden
    Published 6 July 2025 In News

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    Kate Middleton wears a polka dot dress and sunglasses and talks to son Prince George who wears a navy suit with a striped tie
    (Image credit: Getty Images/Karwai Tang/WireImage)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    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."

    Latest Videos FromMarie Claire
    Watch full video here:

    Kate Middleton looks at Prince William, who is wearing military uniform in front of the British flag, while Prince George walks with his head down

    "It was reported that he will join his father on a stag-hunting shoot."

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Prince Harry: the Inside Story

    Duncan Larcombe
    'Prince Harry: The Inside Story'
    $26$23
    SHOP NOW

    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."

    You may like
    • King Charles waving in a blue suit; Prince George wearing his Eton College uniform King Charles Could Recreate One of Queen Elizabeth's Eton Rituals
    • Prince William, Princess Kate, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis standing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at Trooping the Colour "Controversial Changes" Could Affect George, Charlotte, and Louis
    • Prince George smiling in a white button up shirt For Prince George, Eton Offers the Chance to “Stand on His Own”

    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."

    Prince George at Trooping the Colour 2025 wearing a navy suit with a white shirt and a red tie, and joining the Royal Family on the Buckingham Palace balcony

    Prince George might have to join in with a "gruesome" royal "ritual."

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Yes, Ma'am: the Secret Life of Royal Servants

    Tom Quinn
    'Yes, Ma'am: the Secret Life of Royal Servants'
    $2
    SHOP NOW

    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."

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    The ultimate daily digest for women of power, purpose, and style.

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
    Explore More
    Prince George Princess Catherine Prince William Prince Harry Princess Charlotte Prince Louis
    Amy Mackelden
    Amy Mackelden
    Social Links Navigation
    Weekend Editor

    Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.

    Read more
    Prince William, Princess Kate, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis standing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at Trooping the Colour
    Royals "Controversial Changes" Could Affect George, Charlotte, and Louis
    By Amy Mackelden
    Prince George wears a white shirt and has blond hair while his dad, Prince William, wears a light blue shirt with a navy suit jacket and is bald
    Royals Prince George and Prince William Broke Royal Protocol
    By Amy Mackelden
     
     
    Princess Kate and Prince William Might Have Been "Forced to Cancel" Their Annual Vacation to One Luxury Destination, Says Royal Source
    Royals Princess Kate and Prince William "Forced to Cancel" Vacation
    By Amy Mackelden
    Prince George and Prince William sitting in the stands at an Aston Villa game
    Royals Prince George's Sporty School Break Plans Revealed
    By Kristin Contino
     
     
    Latest in Royals
    Princess Kate wears a polka dot dress and joins Prince William at The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance event at the Royal Albert Hall, in London, on November 7, 2026
    Royals Princess Kate Brings Back the Polka Dot Trend
    Prince George wears a white shirt and has blond hair while his dad, Prince William, wears a light blue shirt with a navy suit jacket and is bald
    Royals Prince George and Prince William Broke Royal Protocol
     
     
    Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge attend a dinner hosted by the Governor General of Jamaica at King's House on March 23, 2022 in Kingston, Jamaica.
    Royals Princess Kate and Prince William Were "Left Incredibly Scarred"
    Prince William wears navy military uniform and has a balding head while his son, Prince George, wears a navy suit and a white shirt
    Royals Prince William Sprung Into "Dad Mode" During Trip With George
     
     
    Latest in News
    Princess Kate wears a polka dot dress and joins Prince William at The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance event at the Royal Albert Hall, in London, on November 7, 2026
    Royals Princess Kate Brings Back the Polka Dot Trend
    Prince George wears a white shirt and has blond hair while his dad, Prince William, wears a light blue shirt with a navy suit jacket and is bald
    Royals Prince George and Prince William Broke Royal Protocol
     
     
    Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge attend a dinner hosted by the Governor General of Jamaica at King's House on March 23, 2022 in Kingston, Jamaica.
    Royals Princess Kate and Prince William Were "Left Incredibly Scarred"
    Angel Reese wears zebra print while posing with her brother Julian Reese, while watching his team the New Orleans Pelicans play against the Minnesota Timberwolves on November 6, 2026
    Celebrity Style Angel Reese Goes All In on Fashion's New Favorite Neutral
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Marie Claire
    RSS
    • About us
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Advertise Online
    • Newsletter
    • Terms and conditions
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • Careers
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.