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Kate Middleton isn’t willing to compromise on any royal tradition when it comes to her kids’ sanity. The Princess of Wales, who shares three children with husband Prince William became a significant part of the royal family following her 2011 royal wedding. She has since lived up to her role as future Queen, upholding the royal family’s values and tradition, while embodying everything a true royal represents. This tenacity earned her the admiration and approval of the royal family, and courtiers who have upheld these traditions for centuries. Yet, the royal mom has made it clear there are limits to these protocols and traditions when it comes to her kids Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
One particular royal tradition that has triggered the princess’ protective stance is the centuries-old practice of blooding, per The Mirror. The tradition requires a person’s face to be smeared with the blood of their first kill, mostly during a hunt and has been practiced in different cultures across the world for ages. In the royal fold, a young royal, be it a prince or princess, is required to go through this process at some point, as did others before them after their first kill.
Author Claims Kate Middleton Refuses to Have Her Kids Undergo Blooding
According to royal author Tom Quinn, Kate Middleton firmly considers this royal tradition inappropriate and remains adamant none of her children would be subjected to it. In his upcoming book, Yes Ma’am: The Secret Lives of Royal Servants, the author wrote,
“Blooding the royal children, a tradition in which a prince or princess’ face is smeared with the blood of his or her first kill, whether it happens to be a stag or a fox. King Charles was blooded after his first fox was killed and after shooting his first stag. Charles’s daughter-in-law, Catherine, Princess of Wales, has put her foot down and insisted there will be no blooding for her children.”
Taking such a stance and sticking to it would be no easy battle for Kate Middleton, and would require staunch backing from major royal family members. While her husband, William’s take on blooding his kids is unclear, at least one royal has discussed the abhorrent nature of this royal tradition, and would not wish it on anyone else.
Prince Harry’s Rare Blooding Account
In his book, Spare, the Duke of Sussex Prince Harry recounted his own blooding experience several decades ago. The estranged royal recalled killing his first stag during a hunt and undergoing blooding in the most traumatizing way imaginable. He recounted how Sandy, the gillie attending the hunt nudged him to come closer after the kill. Rather than the congratulatory hug he expected, the gillie pushed his head inside the carcass. Harry wrote,
“I tried to pull away, but Sandy pushed me deeper, I was shocked by his insane strength. And by the infernal smell, My breakfast jumped up from my stomach. ‘Oh please oh please do not let me vomit inside a stag carcass.’ After a minute I couldn’t smell anything, because I couldn’t breathe. My nose and mouth were full of blood, guts, and a deep, upsetting warmth. Well, I thought, so this is death. The ultimate blooding. Not what I’d imagined. I went limp. Bye, all. Sandy pulled me out. I filled my lungs with fresh morning air. I started to wipe my face, which was dripping, but Sandy grabbed my hand.”
Prince Harry explained that Sandy stopped him from wiping his face clean, encouraging him to let the blood dry on him to complete the barbaric ritual. While the 40-year-old’s revelation marks the first detailed account of blooding from a royal, Middleton undoubtedly has a clearer idea of the process given her years spent within the royal fold. Hence, her objection to letting her kids go through blooding, royal tradition or not, most likely reflects her deep fears and concerns for their wellbeing.
This isn’t the first time Kate Middleton would object to a long-standing royal tradition that concerns her kids. The mother of three has reportedly “long disagreed” with her husband‘s desire to send their oldest son, Prince George to Eton College, despite knowing it is a family tradition. Sources claim the 43-year-old would rather have her son attend Marlborough, her alma mater, which offers a co-education system, unlike the rigid, gender-segregated Eton. Reports claim this choice of high school for their son has dragged on for years, with both parents remaining unyielding. This only goes to prove how resilient Middleton can be when she chooses to put her foot down on decisions that involve her children.
