Prince Harry will duck out of royal Boxing Day shoot so he doesn’t upset animal-loving fiancee Meghan Markle
Part-vegan Meghan is known to oppose hunting and is big on animal rights
PRINCE Harry is ducking out of the traditional royal Boxing Day shoot — in case he upsets animal-loving fiancee Meghan Markle.
Keen gun Harry, 33, who first took part 21 years ago, surprised gamekeepers at Sandringham with his decision.
Dad Prince Charles and brother Prince William will take part in the annual ritual on the 20,000-acre estate.
It marks a major departure for Harry, who earlier this month flew out to take part in a boar hunt in Germany while bride-to-be Meghan, 36, was away filming in Canada.
A royal insider said: “The Boxing Day shoot was always going to be a tricky issue. Meghan is a keen animal rights campaigner and doesn’t like hunting in any form."
“Harry loves it and has always been out there on Boxing Day. But if it means breaking with long-standing royal traditions to avoid upsetting her, so be it. It’s fair to say that there are some pretty stunned faces around here.”
Meghan is a keen animal rights campaigner
A pal of Harry’s added: “If Meghan’s not comfortable with him doing the shoot, he wouldn’t want to upset her.”
Harry and Meghan are due to arrive in Norfolk today and will stay with William and Kate at Anmer Hall near to Sandringham.
Meghan, who has two rescue dogs and likes to “eat vegan”, is the first unmarried partner to join the royals for the festive season.
It is not known if she and Harry will stick around on Boxing Day when Prince Philip and the Queen will be among spectators of the shoot, which targets pheasants, partridges and the occasional duck.
Philip led the event until 2010 but in 2011 he had a stent inserted in an artery in his heart after falling ill at Sandringham and can no longer use a gun.
Kensington Palace declined to comment yesterday.