While the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are not expected to join the royals in Scotland, Prince Harry shared memories from Balmoral in his book, Spare, released in January 2023, including a gruesome tradition.

Harry was just 15 when he stalked and killed his first deer on the Scottish estate and described the moment he underwent his first ‘blooding’ – an informal initiation ceremony in which someone’s face is smeared with the blood of the first deer they have killed.

The Duke recalled how his guide, a man called Sandy, pushed his head inside the animal’s carcass after Harry shot the deer.

“I tried to pull away, but Sandy pushed me deeper,” Harry wrote. “I was shocked by his insane strength. And by the infernal smell. My breakfast jumped up from my stomach.”

The young Prince was told to let the blood dry on his face but later said he felt he had “been good to nature”.

“Managing their numbers meant saving the deer population as a whole, ensuring they’d have enough food for winter,” Harry said. “Finally, I’d been good to the community. A big stag in the larder meant plenty of good  meat for those living around Balmoral. These virtues had been preached to me from an early age, but now I’d lived them, and felt them on my face. I wasn’t religious, but this ‘blood facial’ was, to me, baptismal.”

The royal family’s love of hunting dates back centuries, with it being a long-running tradition at Balmoral alongside the annual Boxing Day shoot at Sandringham.

However, in September 2023 it was confirmed that the royals can no longer go hunting, deer stalking or fishing at the five-century-old Abergeldie Estate, located near Balmoral, bringing an end to more than 170 years of tradition.

Does Prince Harry still hunt?

The Duke would regularly participate in the annual shoots at Balmoral and Sandringham but he is thought to have given up the sport.

British primatologist Jane Goodall, who is a close friend of the Sussexes, said in an interview with the Radio Times in 2020 that Harry and Prince William were champions of the natural world “except they hunt and shoot”.

Harry and William were criticised for going on a hunting trip in Spain in 2014, the day before William launched an appeal to stop the illegal hunting of wildlife.

Jane added: “But I think Harry will stop because Meghan doesn’t like hunting, so I suspect that is over for him.”

And in an interview with The Telegraph in 2023, Harry hinted that his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, will not be initiated into blood sports, saying: “It’s interesting because so many of those moments have made me the man I am today. Would I encourage Archie to stick his head inside a carcass? Probably not.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are raising their children in the US, away from the traditional hunting customs of the royal family in Scotland. While the royals continue their hunting traditions at Balmoral and Sandringham, Prince Harry has made it clear that he has moved away from such practices.In his book, Spare, released in January 2023, Harry recounted his first hunting experience at Balmoral, where he participated in an initiation ceremony known as ‘blooding’. The ritual involved smearing deer blood on his face, a practice that has been a long-standing tradition among the royal family.However, times are changing, and the royal family is adapting to modern attitudes towards hunting and conservation. In September 2023, it was announced that the royals can no longer engage in hunting, deer stalking, or fishing at the Abergeldie Estate near Balmoral, marking the end of over 170 years of tradition.Prince Harry, who was once an avid hunter, is believed to have given up the sport, influenced by his wife Meghan Markle’s stance against hunting. British primatologist Jane Goodall noted in a 2020 interview that Harry and his brother William were champions of the natural world, despite their involvement in hunting and shooting activities.In a more recent interview in 2023, Harry hinted that his children, Archie and Lilibet, will not be exposed to blood sports. Reflecting on his own experiences as a young royal, Harry expressed doubt about passing on such traditions to his children. He acknowledged that his upbringing included moments that shaped him, but he emphasized the importance of evolving perspectives and values.As the royal family grapples with the shifting cultural attitudes towards hunting and conservation, Prince Harry’s journey from a participant in traditional hunting practices to a advocate for wildlife protection highlights the changing dynamics within the monarchy. Stay connected for more updates on the royal family and their evolving roles in contemporary society.Remember to follow us for more insightful content and updates on the latest developments in the world of royalty.