Katherine Howard

We asked members of Historic Royal Palaces staff which of Henry VIII's wives as the best. Here, Ian Franklin, State Apartment Warder at Hampton Court Palace - and one of its resident ghost experts! - argues the unfairness of branding Katherine Howard as merely the ultimate Tudor bimbo. When beheaded at the Tower of London in 1542, for premarital sexual activity and alleged marital infidelity, Henry VIIIs rose without a thorn was nothing more than the victim of circumstance. Besides, her status as Hampton Court Palaces most important ex-wife is secured by the fact that according to some people at least her ghost is still there!

In 2009 Hampton Court Palace will be home to rarely seen 16th-century portraits of each of the women in Henry VIII's life mother, sisters daughters and wives - and will be joined by evocative objects intimately connected to their fate.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Henry
• VIII
• Katherine
• Howard
• ghost
• Hampton
• Court
• Palace
• beheaded
• Tower
• of
• London
• ultimate
• Tudor
• bimbo

[HistoricRoyalPalaces]

The hauntings of Catherine Howard: it is said that a female form, dressed in white, has been seen floating down the Haunted Gallery towards the door of the Royal Pew, and just as she reaches it, has been observed to hurry back with disordered garments and a ghastly look of despair, uttering at the same time the most unearthly shrieks, till she passes through the door at the end of the gallery. (A Short History of Hampton Court by Ernest Law, 1897)

[persephonethemad]

That's what is thought. I mean Katherine was like a big sister to Elizabeth, she even let Elizabeth sit opposite her at banquets.

[Karenjade]

This is my second favorite after Catherine Of Aragon!. I love the effects of the light going on and off and the bit with Catherine Howards "ghost" at the end!. I hear Anne Boleyns ghost is said to haunt the tower too!.

[coracleman]

poor girl - what a terrible way to die.

coraclewoman

[TheAneasthetised]

wow, that flash light isn't annoying at all.

[Medusa0999]

Katherine Howard was my favorite queen. She was a kind sweet girl that was unprepaired for that life. It couldn't have ended anyother way

[persephonethemad]

@scorpianofthesun But to answer your question. Yes, Quicklime dissolves the body. its commonly found in mass graves, where the people responsible wanted to hide what they had done.

[persephonethemad]

@scorpianofthesun, well its on alleged that he ordered quick like be poured on the body. There is a big possibility that it was already in the foundations of the building. May Historian now suppose that the Victorians, during there well meaning exavations mistook Anne for Katherine and vice versa, as the way they described the body damaged by Quick Lime was more in keeping with potraits and descriptions of Anne.

[FishPsycho6100]

i also remember i was in the hampton court i can hear whisper and someone was floating in the corrider <<<<-----(i ran quickly to the exit i was scared like a cat, i also bump at the door-.- embarrasing moments)....

[missnicky20]

@scorpianofthesun I totally believe you! I am sure I will go to Hampton Court someday. I will be with someone at all times...

[scorpianofthesun]

@missnicky20 It was pretty damn freaky. I honestly believe it was her. That was no ordinary scream. The scream that I heard sent chills through my body, I started feeling sick, I just did not want to be in there any longer. I wanted to get out, and find my mom.

[missnicky20]

@scorpianofthesun You are so brave! If I was in a room, alone by myself and heard shreiking, I would have shit in my pants!

[scorpianofthesun]

@missnicky20 You know, she didn't say anything in particular. It was just full on shrieking.