Image by Midjourney.com
Hampton Court Palace was built by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey in 1514. In 1528, the property was acquired by King Henry VIII, who lived there over the years with his six wives.
simplytudors.com
Hampton Court Palace is most famous for being haunted by the restless spirits of King Henry VIII’s wives, particularly Catherine Howard and Jane Seymour, as well as the ghostly “Grey Lady” and the mysterious CCTV figure dubbed “Skeletor.”
Henry VIII’s second wife, Anne Boleyn, is occasionally spotted in her blue or black dresses, sometimes appearing headless, as she roams areas near her former palace apartments. Hampton Court Palace is a place that Anne Boleyn would have known well, both before and after becoming queen.
“If the legends are true, Anne Boleyn’s ghost must be the most traveled ghost in Britain, with stories of her spirit wandering across the country in at least 7 different locations. These stories were told after Anne’s death and survived not only through Shakespeare’s lifetime but persist even today.” – Cassidy Cash – https://www.cassidycash.com
Henry VIII’s third wife, Jane Seymour, who died in the palace after giving birth to his only surviving male heir (later King Edward VI). Her phantom, often described as a white wraith, is said to glide down the Silverstick Stairs on the anniversary of her death. The staircase is located close by to the room where Seymour gave birth to Prince Edward and where she died soon after. While delighted with his male heir the King was devastated at the sudden loss of his ‘perfect’ queen. Edward would go on to become king at the age of 9. He died when he was 15 following an illness.
Henry VIII’s fifth wife, Katherine Howard (cousin to Anne Boleyn), who was placed under house arrest for adultery. According to legend, she broke free from her guards and ran down what is now known as the Haunted Gallery to beg the King for mercy before being dragged away. Visitors and staff still report hearing her agonized screams. She was ultimately executed at the Tower of London.
An apparition known as the “Grey Lady” has been reportedly seen multiple times over the years. The “Grey Lady” is believed to be Sybil Penn, a former servant at the palace who served as nurse to both Edward VI and a young Queen Elizabeth I. While nursing Elizabeth I back to health as she suffered from smallpox, Penn is believed to have caught the disease and died. Sybil is also linked to mysterious spinning wheel noises that were said to come from behind a wall in a grace and favour apartment. Legend has it that when the wall was removed, an old, much used spinning wheel was discovered.
According to Historic Royal Palaces, graves were found in 1871 during a routine excavation of a cloister in Fountain Court. The bodies were believed to belong to two men who were killed during the Civil War in the 17th century. After they were properly buried, the disturbances reportedly stopped.
In 2003, Security Staff were disturbed to see a ghostly figure on the building’s CCTV camera:
https://www.cassidycash.com/the-ghost-stories-of-anne-boleyn-ep295/
https://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/history-and-stories/historic-hauntings-at-hampton-court-palace/
https://www.businessinsider.com/hampton-court-palace-haunted-ghost-stories-2021-10#catherine-howard-the-fifth-wife-of-henry-viii-is-also-said-to-haunt-the-palace-4/