People Are Angry Over Prince George's Controversial Hunting Trip

Every summer the royals head to Aberdeenshire to spend time at their Scottish estate Balmoral Castle. The estate is tucked away in the highlands, granting the royal family some peace and privacy that they're hard pressed to find in London. The annual pilgrimage north to Scotland was started by Queen Elizabeth II and she's joined by her children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren at the end of the summer each year. It's a sweet family tradition, though, there's some controversy surrounding the Windsor's vacation this year. 

According to royal correspondent Emily Andrews, Kate Middleton took Prince George on his first grouse-hunting trip during their Scottish holiday. While grouse-hunting is a tradition for the royal family, many people were upset that 5-year-old George was brought along for the festivities. 

A grouse is "a medium-to-large game bird with a plump body and feathered legs," according to the dictionary. Grouse-hunting is quite popular in Scotland and it seems to involve people standing in open fields and shooting at the birds. Here's a picture of a grouse to really set the scene: 

Despite grouse-hunting being a a part of the royal family's trips out to Balmoral for years, people are angry that George was brought to the family outing. "I just read a news article that said Prince George was taken to his first grouse shoot while staying at Balmoral. If that's the case it make [sic] me feel sad & angry that he's going to grow up without empathy for animals," a Twitter user named Michelle shared. While it's OK not to agree with hunting, it's worth noting that the Cambridge family has had a dog named Lupo since before Prince George was even born. 

Others were annoyed by an apparent hypocrisy between what the royals say in public and what they do in private. "Prince William, in October of last year, made a speech warning us that 'global wildlife populations have halved in his lifetime.' Today, we learn he took his son, Prince George, on his first grouse shoot." 

How do you feel about George's grouse-hunting? Is it a royal scandal or NBD? 

Photo: Getty