Prince William received two new roles from Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in October. The monarch and the Duke of Edinburgh passed on to the Duke of Cambridge their patronage of two wildlife charities.
The second in line to the throne is now the royal patron of the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), which looks out for the welfare of birds. Prince William is also the new royal patron of the Fauna & Flora International (FFI).
But, members of the BTO reportedly oppose the decision because the Duke of Cambridge is an "avid bird shooter." A comment in the official Twitter announcement labeled the royal as a hypocrite.
Another commenter shared that the choice does not feel right because of the royal's penchant for grouse shooting. The netizen also speculated that more birds are likely killed at the royal estates while the royal family "turn a blind eye" to the killing of wildlife in their own backyard.
According to Rare Bird Alert, millions of pheasants and partridge are shot in the British countryside during hunting season and it is a factor in the widespread environmental damages in the region. Bird groups have called for the changes and implementation of new regulations to protect these natural environments and its inhabitants.
Despite the backlash, Prince William still received a lot of congratulatory messages from the members of BTO. One member said that the Duke of Cambridge is the perfect choice because of his work in the conservation of the earth's resources and the preservation of wildlife.
It's not the first time Prince William drew a negative reaction for his bird-hunting activities. In September, members of the animal group PETA called out the Duke of Cambridge after learning that he taught his oldest son, Prince George, the basics of grouse shooting during their summer in the Queen's estate in Balmoral.
According to PETA officials, the act of shooting birds is going to damage Prince George's psyche when a future king must be taught to care for the suffering of animals. But like Prince George, Prince William learned to hunt at an early age and was taught by his father and grandfather.
PETA director Mimi Bekhechi said that the times have changed and fewer people are into grouse shooting as a sport because of its many repercussions.
Prince William and Prince George apparently went grouse shooting with Princess Anne, her husband Tim Laurence, and her son Peter Phillips. Kensington Palace declined to comment on PETA's statements.
