NEED TO KNOW
-
Queen Elizabeth and her mother reportedly held a spiritual ceremony, often described as an “exorcism,” at Sandringham House in 2000
-
The ceremony was held after staff complained about strange and unexplained paranormal activity in the room where King George died in 1952
-
It’s unclear if the royals actually believed in the supernatural, or if the ceremony was simply to appease and support their staff
Did Queen Elizabeth and her mother really hold an exorcism at one of their royal residences?
The rumor about the supernatural event can be traced back to royal biographer Kenneth Rose, who wrote in his journal about a ceremony reportedly held at Sandringham House in 2000.
After reports from staff about strange and frightening phenomena in the bedroom where Queen Elizabeth’s father, King George VI, died in 1952, the Queen Mother reportedly decided to stage a “religious cleansing ritual” to rid the room of any possible ominous spirits.
Bettmann Archive/Getty
Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary and the Queen Mother meet the coffin of King George VI at King’s Cross Station in London on Feb. 11, 1952
“It wasn’t a conventional exorcism,” historian and royal biographer Robert Hardman explained in a recent episode of his podcast, Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things. “There was no dramatic casting out of demons, like you see in films. It was said that the room contained a troubled spirit and that the parson was supposed to bless the space.”
Rose claimed that Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother and her lady-in-waiting, Prue Penn, took part in the ceremony, which consisted of taking Holy Communion and saying special prayers, with the goal of ridding the space of its seeming “restlessness.”
“No one was quite sure who the ghost was supposed to be, despite it appearing in the room where George VI had died,” Hardman noted. “Rose speculated whether it might be the ghost of Diana, the late Princess of Wales, who had died a few years before.”
Bettmann Archive/Getty
(L to R) Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, the Queen Mother, King George VI, Princess Margaret
It’s unclear if any of the royal attendees actually believed in the paranormal; however, Hardman thinks their attendance — especially that of the ever-pragmatic Queen Elizabeth — may have been more as a show of support and action towards their frightened staff.
“The late Queen had a strong faith, but she was not superstitious,” Hardman said. “She did not have time for these wilder theories – but she did have a strong sense of the spiritual, as does King Charles.”
The King himself is said to have had at least one paranormal experience at Sandringham. In his book, Britain’s Ghostly Heritage, author John West claims that the then-Prince of Wales had a frightening encounter in a library on the estate, which left him and a staff member bolting from the room.
Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!
The beloved Norfolk estate is where the royal family typically spends Christmas and New Year’s. The tradition was started by Queen Elizabeth in 1988, meaning all of her grandchildren grew up holidaying at the beloved home.
Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty
Sandringham House
These days, the family’s holiday traditions are being passed on to a new generation. On Christmas Eve, they gather for a formal, black-tie dinner and to exchange gifts. In his 2023 memoir, Spare, Prince Harry recalled how the royal gift exchange might differ from the average family.
https://people-app.onelink.me/HNIa/kz7l4cuf
“We were at Sandringham in a big room with a long table covered with white cloth and white name cards. By custom, at the start of the night, each of us located our place, stood before our mound of presents,” he wrote. “Then suddenly, everyone began opening at the same time. A free-for-all, with scores of family members talking at once and pulling at bows and tearing at wrapping paper.”
On Christmas morning, the family walks together to St. Mary Magdalene Church, a 16th-century parish located on the Sandringham Estate, greeting locals, fans and members of the press along the way. After the service, they walk back to Sandringham House to enjoy the day together.
Read the original article on People
