In a lesser-known royal anecdote, Queen Elizabeth II and her mother reportedly performed a spiritual cleansing ritual—often likened to an “exorcism”—at Sandringham House in the year 2000.
This unusual event came after royal staff raised concerns about strange and unexplained occurrences in the room where King George VI had died in 1952. The Queen Mother, reacting to staff anxiety, decided to conduct a religious ceremony aimed at “purifying” the space.
The story traces back to royal biographer Kenneth Rose, who claimed the Queen, the Queen Mother, and her lady-in-waiting Prue Penn participated in the ritual. According to historian Robert Hardman, it wasn’t a dramatic exorcism but involved Holy Communion and specific prayers to dispel what was perceived as spiritual unrest.
While the identity of the supposed ghost remained unclear, some speculated—without evidence—it could have been the spirit of Princess Diana, who had died just a few years prior.
Hardman emphasized that Queen Elizabeth was not superstitious but had a deep spiritual foundation, and likely joined the ritual more to comfort her staff than out of personal belief. He added that King Charles, too, is said to have experienced paranormal activity at Sandringham—allegedly fleeing a library after a chilling encounter.
Sandringham House, a cherished royal retreat especially during Christmas, has long been surrounded by tales of ghostly presences, adding to its mystique.