Will Prince Harry’s Royal Shooting Weekend Put A Damper On His Engagement With Animal Loving Meghan Markle?
While Meghan Markle was settling her affairs and visiting family in Los Angeles before her official move to London, over the weekend, Prince Harry was hunting with a German aristocratic pal. Harry, who has been an advocate for saving elephants, has been highly criticized for this form of “bloodthirsty” game hunting.
Many publications have surmised what would animal-loving Meghan Markle think about her future husband hunting with his pal who is nicknamed “The Boar Terminator”?
According to the Daily Mail, Prince Harry was whisked by private jet, where he and a party of 60 who enjoy “blood sport,” shot and killing 15 wild boar in northeast Germany near Brandenburg.
There is no information if Harry killed any boar, but according to an insider, he borrowed a “powerful rifle” from his brother Prince William, who also hunts.
“Harry is an enthusiastic shot and borrowed a weapon presented to his brother Prince William on his 18th birthday by celebrated German gunsmith Gernot Walther.”
Considered a challenging game to hunt, boars are very aggressive and can weigh up to 400 pounds. But that is not the only reason Harry enjoys the German hunts. He enjoys the ritual around it.
“Harry enjoys the whole ritual of the hunt in Germany – from the sound of the horn, to the schnapps toasting the start, to the actual shooting. He apparently said with some enthusiasm he will be back.”
The hunting party was led by expert marksman Franz-Albrecht zu Oettingen-Spielberg. Just last year, Harry attended his wedding to actress Cleopatra von Adelsheim von Ernest.
Franz may be best known for his video where he shoots a “number” of running boar using his “world class” shooting skills. He also has instructional videos to show others how to shoot boar.
The Daily Beast immediately called Prince Harry “Harry the Hypocrite,” wondering when he would stop his “bloodthirsty activities” and pointing out that his new fiancée has spoken out against animal cruelty in the past and has two rescue dogs.
They contend that there is an issue with the “unwelcome” wild boar in Europe and that their numbers keep increasing. Yet, they point out that legal hunting could effectively include the killing of Cecil the lion. They ask how they can ask to protect animals, yet at the same time go on such hunts.
#UK: #AntiHunting: ?#PrinceHarry flies to #Germany to enjoy private hunting party (covert slaughter-fest) with his aristocratic friend dubbed 'The Boar Terminator'. The Royal, a keen hunter, arrived with his own weapons on Gulfstream aircraft. https://t.co/HKO4VV2ylS
— Warriors4Wildlife™ ??? (@W4W_Global) December 12, 2017
Like Prince William, Harry has been very active in protecting wild animals. In October 2016, the Evening Standard published an interview with Prince Harry, whose “impassioned plea” was to advocate for elephants in the wild.
Joining the “500 elephants” initiative in Malawi, Harry had spent the summer of 2016 helping to transfer “500 tranquilized elephants hundreds of miles to save them from poachers.”
In addition, he helped transfer other “game species,” including the male rhino, antelope, buffalo, and zebra, in hopes of restoring Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve and protecting them from big game hunters.
But where is the line drawn between weekend boar hunting and hunting down elephants for tusks? There is a clear contradiction that many wonder what Meghan Markle will say when she returns to England for Christmas with the Queen. Meghan, who advocates for a vegan lifestyle “mainly for health purposes,” may want Harry to nix this hobby along with the cigarettes he recently quit.
Prince Harry Kills a Water Buffalo? http://t.co/tBUFBxiews @peggyrussell
— marie charnley (@crankycrocodile) October 27, 2014
Better yet, what would the late Princess Diana say? Diana was very outspoken against the royals and their bloodthirsty hunting ways.
In an opinion essay for The Guardian, Ken Warfe, Princess Diana’s protection officer and the author of a controversial book about William and Harry’s mother, Diana: Closely Guarded Secret, wrote that the late princess was completely against the royals hunting.
“The royal shooting obsession was something Princess Diana found repugnant. Requiring little or no skill, royal pheasant shoots are a pre-planned carnage of wildlife, bred specifically for slaughter.”
Yet, both of her sons appear to be enthusiastic hunters, despite the Daily Mail pointing out how the royals’ view on conservation directly seem to contradict their continued activity in hunting for fun.
“But the royal family’s public stance on issues concerning wildlife continues, for many, to be difficult to reconcile with their private love of hunting for sport.”
At this time, Kensington Palace did not respond to any requests on this matter from the publications.
