The Grey Lady of Hampton Court Palace
A palace outside London has captivated people's interest and has also witnessed intrigue and historic events for centuries. Yet behind its opulent walls lies a dark legend.
The legend of the Grey Lady dates back to the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England in the 16th century. People, including workers who have maintained the place, have seen a figure wandering there.
She has even been seen passing by the stables carrying a candle in her ghostly hand, dressed in an elegant grey outfit. The phantom silhouette has been sighted over the centuries by numerous visitors, employees and members of the royal family.
The mysterious figure of this legend has been linked to several theories about who she was. One of the most popular suggests she is the spirit of Dame Sybil Penn, a maidservant who served Queen Elizabeth I and was one of the monarch's closest companions.
The story goes that she was accused of poisoning people and was sentenced to death, a serious crime at the royal court of the time. Her tormented spirit is believed never to have left the palace walls, condemning her to wander in search of eternal peace.
A candle in her ghostly hand and an elegant grey outfit.
Another possible identity for the Grey Lady of Hampton Court Palace is Catherine Howard. She was the king's fifth wife and was confined to her room, from which she escaped to beg her husband for mercy. He rejected her, and Lady Catherine Howard was dragged away while she could be heard screaming for her life.
Her life ended in tragedy, with a scream from the galleries, after she was beheaded at the Tower of London.
Visitors constantly report a strange feeling when walking through that gallery, and during one of the tours in 1999, two women fainted in the very spot where Lady Howard screamed for her life in 1541.
