Prince George is set to spend some time in Balmoral over the summer, along with a plethora of royal family members. Sadly, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry weren't invited to the family gathering, according to reports. However, the Scottish estate is very important to Princess Kate, Prince William, and their three children—George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
Just last month, Prince George turned 11. Although George is being raised differently from William, the little royal will likely take on extra responsibility as he gets older. And according to a new report, George may be expected to take part in a rather "gruesome" tradition this year.
Royal expert Duncan Larcombe opened up about tradition while speaking to Woman magazine (via 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 explained.
Elaborating on the tradition, Larcombe said, "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."
The royal expert also noted that Princess Kate had already been initiated into the tradition. "Years ago, Kate joined the royals on a shoot, but it's unclear whether George will be expected to follow suit," he explained.
Regardless of whether Prince George takes part in the "gruesome" tradition, hopefully the young royal gets to make his own decisions on the matter.
Aside from hunting, Balmoral is an important place for the Prince and Princess of Wales, and holds many memories for the royal family. Royal expert Robert Jobson previously told OK!, "William has happy and sad moments related to Balmoral. But that’s about his life’s experience, not the place."
Jobson continued, "The place has always been special to him. Even in his darkest moments, such as when he learned of his mother’s death, Balmoral afforded him the opportunity to grieve privately, to go off on walks with his grandfather to try to come to terms with what had happened."
As well as being a crucial retreat for the royal family, Balmoral is a place where Kate and William's children can enjoy themselves away from prying eyes. "This is a place where youngsters can play outside so freely," Jobson noted. "That matters to William and Kate because they know their children can be free, away from the media."
