Overview

• Reports suggest Prince George may join his father, Prince William, on a stag hunt at Balmoral later this month
• The initiation involves smearing the blood of the hunter’s first deer kill across their face in a practice dating back centuries
• The Palace has refused to comment on claims that the young heir will undergo the blooding ritual
• It remains uncertain if Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will be invited to participate in future stag-hunting ceremonies
• The rite has deep royal roots, with Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip and Prince Harry among those who experienced deer stalking at Balmoral