Royal palaces' scariest sightings - ghost encounters, eerie gunshots and phantom footsteps

Royal palaces' scariest sightings - ghost encounters, eerie gunshots and phantom footsteps Staff at royal residences including Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace have reported chilling encounters — from ghostly shapes and phantom footsteps to the sound of eerie gunshots in unoccupied rooms With centuries of history etched into their very walls, it's little wonder that visitors and staff alike have encountered the inexplicable while wandering the corridors of Britain's most iconic royal residences. Several members of staff who have worked within royal palaces — including Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace — have recalled spine-chilling experiences, from glimpsing ghostly figures to hearing eerie gunshots emanating from empty rooms. The sheer number of reports from those who have visited royal residences over the years has led many to conclude that several of the UK's most celebrated palaces and castles are haunted, with some left wondering just who else might be sharing these famous homes alongside the likes of King Charles, Prince William and Princess Kate. Windsor Castle As the oldest occupied castle in the world, it comes as no surprise that Windsor Castle has been the setting for countless supernatural sightings. Over the years, numerous claims have emerged of apparitions of former monarchs, including Henry VIII, George III and even Elizabeth I. According to Visit Britain, Elizabeth I has been spotted in the castle's library, where her "footsteps can be heard on the bare floorboards before her striking presence appears". Others have reported witnessing Henry VIII "hobbling" through the deanery cloisters, while George III is said to have been seen peering out of a castle window just days after his death in 1820, while his body was still lying in state. Buckingham Palace Dating back to 1703, the famous London landmark has served as home to generations of royals. However, long before its construction, the land on which it stands was once occupied by a monastery. It has long been rumoured that a monk, who reportedly perished at the monastery, prowls the palace in the dead of night, shrouded in a brown cowl. Another spectral presence is believed to be Major John Gwynn, private secretary to King Edward VII. According to My London, staff at the palace have reported hearing a single gunshot ring out in that very office on numerous occasions. Kensington Palace The London residence, once home to the Prince and Princess of Wales, is said to be haunted by Princess Sophia — an aunt of Queen Victoria — who passed away at the palace in 1848, as well as Peter the Wild Boy, who reportedly haunts the palace's nursery. In her younger years, Princess Sophia had been a gifted seamstress, spending countless hours at her spinning wheel. Over time, numerous members of staff claimed to have heard the distinct sound of a spinning wheel echoing through the palace. King George II is also said to stalk its corridors. At the time of his death in 1760, he was reportedly awaiting news from his troops during the Seven Years' War, and is said to have died gazing out of a window, uttering, "Why don't they come?" Legend has it he is still asking that very question to this day. Sandringham The Sandringham Estate in Norfolk is the royal family's traditional Christmas retreat, and back in 2019, it was reported that the Queen had arranged a religious service there in the year 2000, after servants claimed the property was haunted. The revelation came from royal biographer Kenneth Rose, who revealed that a "little service" was conducted in one of the downstairs bedrooms of the 18th Century mansion by a local parson. The room — where The Queen's father George VI spent his final months before his death — was said to be so unsettling that staff flatly refused to work there. "Some of the servants had complained that the room was haunted and did not want to work in it," wrote Kenneth in his diary, which was published in the Daily Mail. "The parson walked from room to room and did indeed feel some sort of restlessness in one of them." Balmoral King Charles makes his annual pilgrimage to the royal residence nestled in the Scottish Highlands every summer, continuing a cherished tradition established by his late mother, Queen Elizabeth. Among the most well-known ghost stories associated with Balmoral is that of John Brown, a servant who worked at Balmoral Castle and shared a close bond with Queen Victoria, with some rumours suggesting the pair were romantically involved. There have been numerous reports of his apparition being spotted along one of the castle's corridors, with witnesses consistently describing the ghostly figure as wearing a kilt.