King Charles Once Saw the Ghost of Queen Elizabeth I at Windsor Castle
A paranormal historian claims every royal residence is haunted.


Halloween is here, and when it comes to the Royal Family, there are plenty of ghost stories. With palaces and castles dating back hundreds of years, it's no surprise that there have been some spooky encounters in their historic halls. Windsor Castle, as it turns out, is haunted by the ghost of Queen Elizabeth I.
In fact, King Charles has allegedly seen the Tudor-era monarch wandering through the castle, which dates back to the middle ages.
“The late Queen saw her namesake Queen Elizabeth [I] in the library at Windsor Castle. The King has seen the same ghost, and his grandfather George VI saw Queen Elizabeth eight times in the library before the start of the Second World War," paranormal historian Richard Felix claimed in the Amazon Prime documentary The King of UFOs.
According to the book Haunted Castles of Britain and Ireland, Elizabeth I—who died in 1603—is a frequent visitor to Windsor's library. Sightings of her ghost date back as early as the 19th century, with author Richard Jones writing that in 1897, Lieutenant Carr Glynn, a member of the Grenadier Guards "was sitting in the outer room of the Queen's library when a lady dressed in black walked past him and turned a corner."
Glynn was apparently "intrigued by the woman's resemblance to the portraits he had seen of Elizabeth I" and went searching for the woman. However, he "could find no trace of her," Jones wrote, adding "furthermore, there was no doorway through which she could have left the library."
When Glynn brought up the incident to an attendant in the castle, the staff member replied that the lieutenant "was the only person who had entered the library that afternoon." It seems that such occurrences weren't that odd, because instead of being shocked, the attendant suggested that Glynn "had been honored with a special sighting of Queen Elizabeth I."
The story definitely seems in line with what I've heard from a friend who once worked at Kensington Palace; she recalled a fellow staff member seeing the figure of a woman dressed in period clothes and crying after the palace had closed for the day. When he turned around, the lady had disappeared.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Felix said that the Royal Family is well aware of these ghostly inhabitants. “All of their properties have ghosts in them, and they know it and have witnessed it,” he said in The King of UFOs.
Prince William and Princess Kate even have their own resident specter at their country house, Anmer Hall. Speaking on Hello! magazine's A Right Royal Podcast, Felix said there's "a ghost there of a Catholic priest that lived there and was hanged, drawn and quartered for high treason."
Apparently, it didn't bother the couple too much, because, according to Felix, “Before the Waleses moved in, they were warned about the ghost, and the comment was—I presume it was from Prince William—he said, ‘No old hall would be complete without a ghost, would it?’"
Who needs Halloween when you have your own personal ghoul?
Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.
Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.
Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.
-
Prince Harry’s Ex, Cressida Bonas, Is Launching a Podcast and Princess Eugenie Is Already Lined Up as a Guest
Other famous faces in the podcast's launch announcement video include Kate Winslet, Mary Berry, and Camilla Alves McConaughey.
By Kayleigh Roberts Published
-
Hailey Bieber Pairs a Celebrity-Beloved Bag With $450 Flip-Flops for Date Night
The model kept it new-parent-casual for her date night with her husband, Justin Bieber.
By Kayleigh Roberts Published
-
'The Residence' Is a White House-Set Whodunit, But Where Was It Really Filmed?
The Shondaland-produced Netflix series pulled off the largest-ever recreation of the Executive Mansion.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
Could Donald Trump Work With King Charles to Make America Royal Again?
"This is being discussed at the highest levels."
By Kristin Contino Published
-
King Charles Admits to Unexpectedly Emotional Moment With Prince William: "It Reduced Me to Tears"
The monarch was "deeply touched" by his son's words.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Why King Charles and Queen Camilla Are Spending a "Lot of Time Apart" Ahead of Their 20th Wedding Anniversary
"Before she married Charles, she made a pact."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
The Understandable Reason Queen Camilla Doesn't Cook for King Charles, According to Her Son
"I don't think there's a lot of, 'Honey, I'm home, what's for dinner?'"
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
King Charles Says Beyoncé Is "So Exceptional" and "Incomparable" on His New Apple Music Broadcast
Welcome to the Beyhive, Your Majesty.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
King Charles Just Spent $3.9 Million on the House Next Door to Queen Camilla's Private Home
Camilla is reportedly "grateful and relieved" after her husband made the expensive purchase.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
King Charles and Queen Camilla's State Visit to Italy Has Been Thrown Into "Doubt" Amid Official's Health Concerns
The royals were set to visit Rome and Ravenna, and meet with Pope Francis.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
King Charles Makes a Surprising Pivot in His Social Media Strategy That Reveals His "Happy King" Era
An unexpectedly fun new royal initiative launches March 10.
By Kristin Contino Published