Prince William bags a stag, getting blooded and prompting an outcry

For animal-rights activists in Britain it seemed a grisly scenario: On an October hunt at Balmoral, Scotland, Prince William, 14, shot his first stag and reportedly was "blooded"-had his face dabued with the deer's blood by hunting guides-to mark the rite of passage. After the news broke in London's Daily Star on Nov. 27, the rival Sunday Mirror tried to raise the stakes by reporting that Diana Princess of Wales was "sickened" by her elder son's passion for blood sports.

Diana, though, wouldn't allow the dig to pass. Issuing a formal response, she called the Mirror "cruel in its inaccuracies" and she "respects [that William] has interests in every arena and would not question them."

Though she was clearly uncomfortable when compelled to accompany Prince Charles on shooting expeditions during their marriage, royal watchers say that Diana is, in fact, bored by hunting more than opposed to it. "She isn't against blood sports at all," says author Brian Hoey. Raised in the country, she herself reportedly shot her first stag at 13. "She was blooded and didn't recoil," says Hoey.

For his part, William is said to be quite raken with what the Windsors call field sports. With Prince Harry, 12, he has accompanied Charles on the family's bird and rabbit hunts since childhood and reportedly chose to pass on his father's New Year's ski trip to Switzerland this year in favor of the traditional shooting at Sandringham. Given his reputation as a keen shot, tabloid reporters mights as well keep their distance."