From Throne to Ghost

The six Queens of King Henry VIII (8th). The Queens that would help change the history of England religiously. Today we embark on a adventure across the sea to England where these Queens sat on the throne of England and continue to watch over their land even after death.

Katherine of Aragon (Divorced):

Katherine was the first of Henry’s wives, she was the Spanish Princess who had first married Henry’s older brother Prince Arthur. A few months into Katherine and Arthur’s marriage both fell ill with what is known as “The sweating sickness”, Arthur succumbed to the illness and died leaving Katherine a 15-year-old widow. After Henry became King he got permission from the pope to marry Katherine, Henry and Katherine had many children but sadly only one survived, the future Queen Mary I (Bloody Mary). After 23 years of marriage, Henry broke with Rome, divorced Katherine, and married Anne Boleyn. Katherine would not be allowed to see her daughter again. Henry sent Katherine away where she died alone on January 7, 1536.

Over the years since her death people have accounted seeing her spirit walking between the halls of Kimbolton Castle where the Queen had died. Kimbolton Castle is now a Co-Ed Boarding School but the broken-hearted Queen still finds it to be her home. People have reported seeing Katherine drift between two floors at the same time, her head and torso on a top floor while the rest of her body floats on the ceiling. The castle has been renovated since the time of Katherine’s death but the Queen still walks the grounds like it is still the same.

Anne Boleyn (Beheaded):

Anne Boleyn was the mistress who caused the divorce between Henry and Katherine. She had promised to give the King a son, something that Katherine could not do. Anne played the perfect game of cat and mouse and won. She was crowned Queen of England in 1533, but her reign would be short-lived. Instead of giving Henry a son as she had promised she delivered a healthy baby girl who would become the future Queen Elizabeth I (Gloriana). She did get pregnant again but sadly lost the baby, witnesses recorded that the baby was formed enough to tell that it would have been a boy. Henry who was already in love with one of Anne Boleyn’s ladies-in-waiting Jane Seymour wanted to rid himself of his wife quickly but he, unfortunately, had no grounds for divorce even if he was head of the church of England. Word had soon made its way to Henry that his Queen that he had fought hard for had intamency’s with another man before Henry and Anne were married. The King’s advisor Cromwell wanted to get rid of Anne because of a falling out they had so it is speculated that he put forth more untruthful evidence to get rid of her completely. Anne was arrested and found guilty of treason, adultery, and incest with her own brother George Boleyn. Henry had decided that she should be beheaded by a skilled swordsman from France as a last act of kindness. She was the first Queen of England to be beheaded on May 19, 1536.

Her spirit is seen at both the Tower of London and her childhood home Blickling Hall. On every anniversary of her death, the Queen is said to ride up the entrance of Blickling Hall in a carriage drawn by headless horses and a headless coachman. Her spirit then exits the coach with her head tucked underneath her arm, she then enters her home, and the coach disappears. The most recent encounter of the Queen at the Tower of London was witnessed by a soldier during WWII. He was stationed outside the tower for patrol when he recounts a strange mist and light coming from the tower’s steps. He turned and saw a figure in Tudor period clothing wearing a gold “B” around the neck. The only problem, where the head and neck should be was nothing but a black void. The soldier then ran from the spot in terror and never returned. It was later identified that the spirit the soldier had seen was Queen Anne Boleyn herself, the gold “B” necklace was the cherished piece of jewelry that the Queen had from her time in France as a girl.

Jane Seymour (Died):

Jane Seymour was called the King’s “True Love” for she had given Henry something that the past two Queens had not, a son. Jane and Henry had married just three days after Anne Boleyn was executed. On October 12, 1537, after two days and three nights of labor Jane gave birth to a son, the future King Edward VI. The Queen soon got sick with what is believed to be an infection from the long birth and died just 12 days later leaving Henry heartbroken. Before she died she had risked her own life trying to reunite the King with his two daughters Princess Mary and Princess Elizabeth who had been thrown out by their father because of their mothers.

Her ghost is seen in Hampton Court Palace on the Silverstick Stairs leading up to the room where Jane had both given birth and died. Her spirit appears on the anniversary of her son’s birth walking up the stairs with a candle, not acknowledging anyone who notices her.

Anne of Cleves (Divorced):

Anne was Henry’s 4th wife and the one that he disliked the most. Anne was a Princess from Germany, Henry was denied by almost every Princess he proposed to except for Anne. Henry had sent the court painter to paint Anne so Henry could see a picture of her before agreeing to any marriage. Once he saw her portrait he had agreed to marry her and sent for her. Once she arrived Henry is said to look upon her and was disgusted. He is reported to say, “She looks like a horse, I like her not. She has a foul smell upon her.” Their marriage only lasted for 6 months before Henry had the marriage annulled. For her corporation in the annulment Anne was awarded land, money, the title of “The King’s Sister”, and was free to remarry to whoever she wished. Anne had passed away on July 16, 1557, she was the Queen that had outlived all of Henry’s wives.

Anne has been seen haunting two houses that were given to her by Henry after the annulment. People have reported seeing objects being moved, strange shadows, and have seen the Queen in a white dress looking after homes.

Catherine Howard (Beheaded):

Catherine Howard was only 17 when she married the now plump and sickly 49-year-old King. Catherine was an orphan who caught the eye of the King during her time at court when she was a lady-in-waiting to Queen Anne of Cleves. Her rise to power was short-lived when she was beheaded on February 13, 1542, for adultery and treason. She had been found to have a secret relationship with the King’s own groomsman Thomas Culpepper. When she had reached the scaffold she had reported saying the crowd who watched, “I die a queen, but I would rather die the wife of Culpepper.”

Her ghost has been heard and seen running down the halls of Hampton Court Palace in the Haunted Gallery. She runs down the hall screaming for Henry to forgive her as her spirit vanishes into the wall. People have also reported the feeling of being watched and touched on the arms. Others have also recorded a certain pain on the neck as if they had just been cut by a knife, or maybe even an ax.

Catherine Parr (Survived):

Henry’s sixth and final wife Catherine Parr had survived and outlived Henry. After the King had died Catherine was free to marry her one true love Thomas Seymour, the brother of the late Jane Seymour. Catherine had gotten pregnant by Thomas and gave birth to a baby girl but soon died just as Jane did after childbirth on September 5, 1548. Her husband, Thomas who was just after power and stature had given away his daughter and went to seek the hand of Princess Elizabeth and when she had refused him he sought the hand of Princess Mary but was refused again.

Her ghost can be seen at Sudeley Castle where she died, she has been seen looking out the windows and walking through the garden wearing a green dress. The people who own and take care of Sudeley Castle call her “Katie” and say that her presence is one that is warm and loving.