Bear Grylls Recalls Prince George Eating a Live Ant: 'His Eyes Lit Up'
The future King of England has an adventurous appetite. British adventurer and TV star Bear Grylls recently revealed that Prince George got in touch with his inner survivalist in 2019 when the young royal was just 6 years old and mustered up the courage to eat a live ant.
Grylls, who appeared on Good Morning Britain Tuesday, revealed that the curious incident occurred at the King's Cup Regatta, a three-day charity sailing race, on the Isle of Wight back in August 2019. Grylls, who ended up winning the Cowes Week race, was invited by George's grandmother, Carole Middleton, to meet George, who was a big fan of his interactive Netflix special and was courageous enough to try a new food source when a trail of ants scurried across his feet.
"So, we were chatting, and he was down here, and just as we were chatting, a stream of ants went across his feet," Grylls recalled. "And him and me looked at them-he looked at me with those amazed wide eyes-and I said, 'Come on, we've got to eat one.' And he said, 'Oh really?' and we ate."
Grylls said "it was a privilege to give the future king his first ant," revealing that little George's "eyes lit up as they do with anyone when they're out in the wild and face a few fears and overcome them." He went on to call George, now 8 and currently third in line to the throne, "a hero." Grylls ended up winning the Regatta that day and even mentioned George's survivalist milestone during his awards ceremony speech, saying, "Prince George. Your first ant you ate today...And that is a great moment. Well done, you."
The famed adventurer previously opened up about the moment in his memoir, Never Give Up, revealing that the young royal had a look of "trepidation and excitement" when the trail of ants passed by. He wrote that he "knew that look well" and "smiled at him and said, 'Have you ever eaten an ant?' He shook his head nervously. 'You want to? Just you and me?' He looked around, then back at me, and nodded." Grylls added, "I will never tire of that wonderful grimace on people's faces as they eat something from the survivor menu for the first time. Whoever they are, it's always priceless. But I don't think I will ever see wider eyes than Prince George's, nor a broader grin. It was a fun moment that I hope, when he is king one day and I am an old man, he might still remember. After all, who can ever forget eating their first ant?"