Pippa Middleton Under Fire For Eating Whale Meat, Which Is Illegal In The UK

In most countries around the world, including the U.K., whale meat consumption is illegal because whaling has been banned for ethical reasons. Whaling is deemed a "cruel" industry by campaigners because the animals are rarely killed humanely, according to The Mirror. 

So it was a rare treat indeed for Pippa Middleton, the Duchess' sister, to try some whale carpaccio during a visit to Norway (where whale meat consumption is still legal). As a result, Middleton found herself facing a wave of criticism from animal rights activists angered by her decision.

"By eating whale meat, she is unwittingly setting a bad example that may encourage other tourists to do likewise," Philip Mansbridge, U.K. director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, told The Daily Mail. "We would hope she acknowledges her mistake and will promote whale watching true to the slogan 'Meet us, don't eat us.'"

Middleton wrote about eating whale meat in a travel review for a Norwegian national newspaper, where she described the carpaccio as "similar to smoked salmon but looks more like venison carpaccio."