Animal activists are NOT happy with the royal family!
During a vacay in Scotland last weekend, Prince William took 7-year-old Prince George along on a grouse shooting expedition with other senior royals in Corgarff, a short drive from Queen Elizabeth II‘s holiday home, Balmoral.
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Traditionally, grouse hunting season begins on August the “Glorious 12th,” and is enjoyed throughout the summer when the royals gather at the estate, where the 94-year-old monarch has been for several months due to COVID-19.
PETA Director Mimi Bekhechi blasted William for his decision to introduce the young prince to hunting, telling with The Daily Mail:
“Very few people these days view shooting for ‘sport’ as anything other than a violent perversion that hurts and kills beautiful birds who are minding their own business. For a child to be compelled to witness such casual killing – and by a parent he looks up to, no less – is potentially as harmful to his or her psyche as it is to the bird’s very life.”
While it is not believed that the future King actually participated in the tradition, he has previously attended similar “casual killing” outings as well. Bekhechi added:
“It can desensitise children to the suffering of animals – which is cause for concern, given the well-established link between cruelty to animals in childhood and antisocial behaviour in adulthood – and could give George nightmares. To help him grow into a responsible, compassionate leader, his parents must teach him respect for all living beings.”
Kate Middleton is said to have accompanied her husband and eldest child on the trip, leaving Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis at their English estate. Kensington Palace declined to comment.
Last year’s grouse shooting trip was canceled after a steep decline in bird numbers due to environmental and weather-related reasons. A source shared at the time with Daily Mail:
“Grouse numbers go up and down but this year they have plummeted. There probably will be no grouse shooting on Balmoral this season. It’s very disappointing. There is still [deer] stalking.”
They added:
“Though the Glorious Twelfth, the name for the official first day of grousing season, was Monday, it seems the Queen and her kin will shoot no grouse in the coming weeks…grouse hunting is cancelled at Balmoral this year due to a dwindling number of birds….Since grouses depend on the greenery from the moors to survive, an infestation has the potential to wipe out the population.”
Although this may have changed some summer holiday plans for Kate — who has been photographed participating on more than one occasion — Meghan Markle likely didn’t mind, as she has been an outspoken animal activist for years and reportedly didn’t take a liking to her in-laws long-standing traditions of shooting and hunting.
Weigh in, Perezcious readers! Do U think it’s appropriate to bring a child on this type of excursion? Let us know (below) in the comments!
[Image via John Rainford/WENN.]
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