When Kate Middleton and Prince William were married in 2011, Queen Elizabeth II gave them Anmer Hall, a Georgian style home on the royals’ Sandringham Estate, as a present. In the years since, the couple has turned the home into a country oasis, adding in a conservatory, a state-of-the-art kitchen, and even a few beehives. But according to paranormal historian Richard Felix, the house also came with a spooky guest. On an episode of Hello!’s A Right Royal Podcast, the historian explained that Kate and William were informed that the spirit of a murdered Catholic priest had returned to his former home when they were preparing to move in.
“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?’”
Though Felix didn’t specify which Catholic priest he was discussing, it’s likely that he was talking about Henry Walpole, a Jesuit who lived at Anmer Hall in the 16th century. In April 1595, he was executed after he refused to take an oath attesting to Elizabeth I’s total authority over religion. In 1970, he was canonized as a saint by the church, and a nearby church in Norfolk is named in his honor.
When it comes to celebrating Halloween with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, William and Kate are likely to go for something more tame than ghost stories. In an Instagram post last year, Kate’s mother Carole Middleton opened up about how much she loves to celebrate the holiday. “Halloween is an Autumn highlight for me. I can still remember the fun and frights from my own childhood; the chance to dress up, decorate pumpkins and go trick-or-treating!” she said. “I‘ve even grown my own pumpkins this year, so I‘m looking forward to decorating those with my loved ones.”
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