It seems inevitable that if you spent your life living in castles and stately homes teeming with history (not to mention the odd beheaded Queen), you might bump into a ghost every once in a while - and apparently King Charles III had his fair share of experiences with spirits before becoming King!
Chatting on HELLO!’s A Right Royal Podcast, paranormal historian Richard Felix explained: "Prince Charles was apparently terrified at Sandringham when he was again in the library at Sandringham, he and a footman were in there and followed around the library by a ghost!"
So what about Buckingham Palace? According to the historian, the palace is haunted by a monk, and the King wasn’t keen on meeting the spooky resident. "Apparently, he’s not too happy about Buckingham Palace."
Richard explained. "Again, it’s haunted by the ghost of a monk… basically, Buckingham Palace was actually built on a site that belonged to the monks of Westminster Abbey. This monk, we don’t know what happened to him, but he’s seen with a cowl, in other words, his hood, wandering through the halls of Buckingham Palace."
© GettyAlthough Charles hasn’t spoken publicly about whether he believes in ghosts or not, his wife, Queen Camilla, once revealed that she refused to go into Dumfries House while Charles was renovating it. Speaking in a documentary, she explained: "I remember the first time I walked up the steps, got into the hall and I thought, 'I can't go any further.' I literally froze. If my hair could stand on end, it would have done. I remember leaving and thinking I don't want to come back here again and I didn't for a few years."
She later finished when the refurbishments were finished, adding: "Whatever was there had disappeared. The whole thing seemed to be smiling again."
Richard revealed that he believes Dumfries House to be haunted by the Marquess of Bute - and that the ghost might not have been happy that Charles was renovating. He said: "I speak to [a number of people who] ring me and say, ‘We bought this house and everything was fine until we started doing some work on the house’. A prime example of that is Dumfries House. They had the most fantastic collection of Chippendale in that house and the King bought it when he was Prince Charles, he had it renovated, and apparently Queen Camilla would not go in the place.
Memorable occasions UK royals have visited the US
© GettyOver the past century, the British royal family have made several official visits Stateside. Here are some of the most notable trips:
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (1939)
King George VI made history in June 1939 when he became the first reigning British monarch to visit the US. Accompanied by his wife, the Queen Mother, the trip was intended to strengthen ties between the UK and the US before the Second World War.
Queen Elizabeth II (1957)
The late Queen's first official visit to the US took place in 1957 and solidified the "special relationship" between the two countries. The monarch emphasized this bond in her speech to Congress, whilst another highlight was also visiting Jamestown to celebrate the 350th anniversary of its founding.
Princess Diana (1985)
Princess Diana's 1985 visit was her first solo tour without her husband Prince Charles. The People's Princess charmed the American public, with the trip reflecting her personal interests in fighting homelessness, supporting the arts, and advocating for AIDS patients.
The Prince and Princess of Wales (2014)
While William and Kate visited the US as part of their first overseas tour as a married couple in 2011, their 2014 trip to New York City and Washington DC was also very memorable. The royals paid a solemn visit to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, and also met with President Barack Obama at the White House.
"She went in there once and then said, ‘Oh, I can’t go in here, there’s something here.’ She would not go in, she said there was a spirit or entity in the house that wasn’t happy! And again, King Charles was having it renovated so it’s the same old story."
