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In what is now a shocking photo, the Queen poses alongside her husband and an 8ft tiger the Duke of Edinburgh has just killed with one bullet in India back in 1961.
Back then the image was a statement of the royal family’s status, and a nod to the aristocratic pastime of hunting which is going increasingly under the radar as it becomes less politically correct.
Of all the modern royals, the Duke of Edinburgh’s body count is the highest, having reportedly shot countless stags and two crocodiles as well as thousands of wild birds and animals in Britain.
A macabre collection of the 62 trophies from the Royal Family’s hunting trips are on show at a museum in Sandringham, the Queen’s Norfolk home.
The prized spoils, including a leopard, elephant tusks, rare rhinos and two stuffed lions, which were killed in the name of sport, are on display to members of the public when the royals are not in residence.
But fast-forward to today and Prince Philip’s grandson Prince William is in Africa where he is hosting a series of engagements to fight against the illegal trade of wildlife.
It is where the Duke of Cambridge is embracing his role as President for charities United For Wildlife and Tusk Trust, which both protect endangered species in Africa.
Pictures of Prince William’s trip in Namibia showed the father-of-three clad in safari colours, out on a bush walk with a team of Namibian rhino trackers.
During a speech at the British High Commission in Windhoek, Namibia’s capital, William said: “My visit to Namibia this week is focused on conservation.
“This is an issue very close to my heart, and I know is a matter of deep pride to you all as well.
“Your country is famous for its beautiful environment and its wildlife tourism continues to grow year on year.”
Whereas his father Prince Philip has long caused controversy over his love of hunting for sport.
On a trip to Ranthambhore in India in 1961, Philip shot a crocodile and a six mountain sheep.
In the UK he has also killed deer, hare, wild dick, snipe, woodcock, rabbit, teal, pigeon and partridge.
Figures by the anti-bloodsports lobby suggest he has killed at least 30,000 pheasants in Britain alone.
The Royal Family’s sprawling 20,000-acre Norfolk estate in Sandringham is where the Duke of Cambridge regularly invited sporting friends to shoot.
In 1993, he killed 10,000 pheasants during a seven-week stay.
Meanwhile, Prince Philip used to take his son Prince Charles on trips to Germany where he would shoot and kill wild boar.
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