Royally Twisted Stories And Legends About British Royal Palaces

King Henry VIII favored the luxurious Hampton Court Palace. His wife, Catherine Howard, supposedly favors it in the afterlife. Henry VIII ordered her demise for adultery and treason, but Catherine's restless 19-year-old spirit apparently refuses to leave the grounds where she was detained.

Before her head was taken from her body, she ran through the courtyards, screaming out to the king in hopes of sparing her life. Those who have encountered Catherine's ghost say she can be heard crying out in anguish and pleading for mercy.

Prince Edward V and Prince Richard, Duke of York, were taken to the Tower of London at ages 12 and 9, respectively, never to be seen or heard from again. After being taken, they were believed to be slain.

Inhabitants claim their spirits haunt the grounds, identifiable by their long, white nightgowns. They never walk alone or make a sound; they simply hold hands and linger before dissipating.

Mary, Queen of Scots, had a close friendship with her private secretary, David Rizzio. When Mary's husband became suspicious of the relationship, he called for Rizzio's immediate termination. Rizzio was pierced a total of 56 times in the dining room.

While their relationship was short-lived, the legacy would haunt the dwellings of Holyrood Palace for centuries to come. Rizzio's bloodstains still blemish the wood floors of the dining room to this day - even though the wood panels have been replaced several times.

The Queen's House at the Tower of London is said to be the dwelling quarters of the spirit of Arabella Stuart, a potential heiress to the English throne in the 1600s. Without the king's approval, Stuart married a man named William Seymour. The two were detained and held captive.

They attempted to make a romantic escape, but only Seymour made it out, sneaking off to France. Stuart was captured once more and locked within the tower until she passed.

Those who encounter Stuart's ghost say she is far from happy. Stuart has been known to shove people out of her room, demanding she be left alone to go about her brooding.

Jane Seymour has allegedly taken up residence in the stairwells at Hampton Court. The beloved wife of Henry VIII, she met an early and abrupt demise due to complications from childbirth.

She walks the Palace, dressed in white, foreboding and full of sadness. Some say she appears on the birthdate of her son (and the date of her passing) to dwell on the Silverstick Stairs. This stairwell leads up to the room where her tragic childbirth took place. 

While serving as King Edward VII’s private secretary, Major John Gwynne became involved in some scandalous events. Amidst the pressures of society and unable to thwart ever-circulating rumors, Gwynne took his own life in a first-floor office in Buckingham Palace.

Those who still traverse the offices say his uneasy spirit lingers in the room, disturbing guests with his presence. Stay in the room long enough, they say, and the "bang" that ended his life can be heard echoing throughout the office.