Prince William and Kate Middleton have reportedly welcomed an unexpected addition to their royal household. According to paranormal historian Richard Felix, the Windsors also share their country home with a ghost. On a recent podcast episode, Felix explained that when Kate and William were preparing to move into Anmer Hall, they were informed that the spirit of a murdered priest had returned to his former home.
“There was a ghost there of a Catholic priest that lived there and was hanged, drawn, and quartered for high treason, and for some reason, has returned to his home,” Felix said. “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?’”
The Georgian-style home on the royals’ Sandringham Estate was a wedding present from Queen Elizabeth II. The Windsors have since happily transformed the real-life haunted house into their own personal oasis to celebrate the holidays—including spooky season.
Lest you forget, Kate Middleton is the royal queen of Halloween. In 2022, she was spotted trick-or-treating with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis by her side. She’s also been known to do a little last-minute shopping: In 2019, she stepped out at a local supermarket in Norfolk to buy costumes for her kids.
Middleton’s own costume made headlines circa 2007, dressed in a witchy look while out on the town with sister Pippa. In her book, Celebrate, Pippa wrote that nowadays she is more low-key, and “frequently celebrates Halloween over a supper with friends.” She added that the holiday is also a “wonderful excuse to let your imagination run riot with gory-looking food and special effects.”
The Princess of Wales’s parents, Carole and Michael, also know how to throw a Halloween party, having run their own Party Pieces business for 30 years. “Halloween is an Autumn highlight for me,” Carole wrote on Instagram. “I can still remember the fun and frights from my own childhood; the chance to dress up, decorate pumpkins, and go trick-or-treating!”