Hampton Court Ghost Footage

Ever since a security camera in 2003 captured a strange figure at a set of fire doors connected to Hampton Court Palace believers and skeptics have debated whether this footage is real or just a hoax.

Hampton Court Palace

In this debate opinions are most often put forth as proof, so in this post I will just state the known facts and let the reader decide.

Over the course of three days in October of 2003 a Hampton Court Palace security camera (CCTV) captured a series of mysterious events. The first day the camera recorded these double doors bursting open and then shutting quickly on their own around 1:00 p.m.

On the second day a two-minute section on the footage recorded at approximately the same time shows the doors opening, and then a figure appears and shuts them.

The third day at the same time the camera again recorded the doors opening and shutting with what appeared to be no assistance.

The figure captured on the second day could be male of female with long curly hair. It is wearing a long robe or dress that reminds people of 16^th century attire. This robe has decorated edges and is split in the front in the center. The sleeves are wide and decorated as well.

The guards and staff at the palace felt the mystery deepened when it was discovered no one was near these doors on these days and no one came forward to state they had closed them.

One curator at the time stated that no explanation was discovered as to why this camera caught these images.

According to palace guards this figure was captured on the second day after a fire alarm went off. When several guards arrived in the exhibition hall they discovered the doors where closed and no one was near them.

It was determined at the time the palace guards were innocent of any wrongdoing and that there were no guards in this area at the time of the recordings.

Security guard, James Faukes told the BBC at the time the footage was discovered:

“It was incredibly spooky because the face just didn’t look human.”

Faukes stated he did not believe the footage was a hoax or fake.

“I thought, someone was having a laugh but our costumed guides don’t own a costume like that. It is actually quite unnerving.”

On the day the figure was caught on the CCTV camera an Australian tourist and her friends whom knew nothing about the video recordings left a note in Hampton Court’s guestbook as they left.

They wrote they had seen a ghost in the area in this exhibition hall near these fire doors.

Over the centuries several witnesses have claimed to see a ghost near where these doors stand today.

I lean on the side that this footage is too good to be true--but that is just my opinion.

Hampton Court Palace is on the Thames in western London, England. It is a popular tourist spot. This figure was dubbed Skeletor because its face has a strange appearance.

Two of Hampton Court’s famous ghosts are former wives of Henry the Vlll--Jayne Seymour who died giving birth to Henry’s son in the palace and Catherine Howard who Henry had beheaded for adultery. More about Howard's ghost here.

Here is what the CCTV camera caught on the second day, slowed down.

The Ghost of Catherine Howard

Catherine Howard became the fifth wife of the Tudor King Henry VIII. She was born in 1521 into a prestigious Catholic family. Her first cousin Anne Boleyn, the niece of the Duke of Norfolk, was King Henry VIII’s second wife. Unfortunately, Catherine's fate was to be similar to her cousins. 

Catherine’s mother died when she was young, so she was sent to live in the house of Agnes, with the Dowager Duchess who basically ignored her. Her education was neglected, and she could barely read or write.

Catherine Howard

Because of this neglect, Catherine had freedom most young woman of noble birth at that time were not allowed. She became flirtatious and impetuous, which resulted in illicit relationships with young men. Catherine had a tie at the age of 15 with her music teacher, Henry Mannox. She then took a gentleman’s usher by the name Francis Dereham as her first lover. 

When the Dowager was informed of Catherine’s behavior she was horrified. Instead of blaming herself she had Catherine whipped. The Duke of Norfolk decided that his young niece who was admired for her beauty should be sent to court to advance the families’ fortunes.

She was sent to Hampton Court to be a lady-in-waiting. Just as the Duke had hoped she attracted the eye of King Henry VIII. Henry became obsessed with Catherine. Thinking she was all that was pure and good, he started to think of her as his “rose without thorn.” Catherine was indeed sweet and kind, but she was not innocent. At first, she didn’t mind the difference in their ages--she was 19 he was 49. She liked the beautiful clothes and jewels that Henry provided.

Catherine married Henry in 1540. But it wasn’t long before her soiled past started to catch up with her. She was forced to give former members of the Dowager Duchesses’ household positions at Court in return for their silence. 

Not long after her marriage, still promiscuous, Catherine started a new affair. A young courtier, Thomas Culpepper whose duties were to attend to all of Henry’s special needs, became her lover. Jane Rochford a lady-in waiting who had played a part in Queen Anne Boleyn’s downfall encouraged this affair between Catherine and Culpepper. 

Their affair quickly became known at court. At first, Henry would not listen to these rumors. But the Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer built a case against the young Catholic Queen. His evidence included information about her affairs while at Agnes and love letters that she had written to Culpepper. 

Henry devastated banned Catherine from his presence and ordered she be arrested. Catherine was confined to her apartments at Hampton Court for adultery.

She escaped at one point and tried to find Henry to plead for her life. But she was dragged back screaming to her rooms. Catherine’s former lovers, Mannox, Dereham, and Culpepper were tortured and executed. She passed their gruesome impaled heads on London Bridge on her way to the Tower of London. She was beheaded in February of 1542 at the age of 21. 

After the executioner chopped off her head with an ax, he held it up for the crowd to see. She would have remained alive for eight seconds after her head was removed from her body because it takes that long for the lack of oxygen to cause unconsciousness and death. So Catherine most likely saw her own headless body when this was done.

Catherine Howard’s ghost haunts two places. She is seen in the area where she was kept awaiting execution at the Tower of London and at Hampton Court Palace where she lived with King Henry VIII. 

Her ghost has become known as "The Screaming Lady of the Haunted Gallery."

Since her death, she has been seen running through the Hampton gallery for it was here she was dragged back to her rooms after attempting to plead for her life. She is known as an anniversary ghost for her apparition is seen in this area on the date she was put under arrest. Her ghostly hand is also seen floating near the portrait of her in this gallery.

Many visitors to this Haunted Gallery over the years have stated that they sensed something not quite right about this area. "Grace- of- favor" residents in nearby apartments report hearing her screams in the gallery. One radio interview that was being conducted in this area had to shut down when their equipment stopped working. 

In 1999, two female visitors to Hampton Court each on separate tours a half hour apart fainted att he same exact spot in this gallery. In 2000 psychologists from the University of Hertfordshire concluded from their investigation that all the witnesses to this activity over the years experienced it in the same areas.

Hampton Court Palace has many other ghosts that haunt it as well. In future posts, I will share their stories. Even King Henry VIII’s ghost has been seen but not at Hampton Court. His spirit is seen at Windsor Castle.