By August Schwerdfeger – Own
work, CC BY 4.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=66780104
King Charles has continued the long-standing tradition of
spending part of every August at the Castle of Mey, the remote
Caithness retreat loved by his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth The
Queen Mother. But alongside its royal history, the castle is also
home to one of Scotland’s most enduring ghost stories.
For generations, visitors and staff have spoken of “The Green
Lady”, a mysterious figure said to haunt the upper floor of the
historic castle.
According to local legend, The Green Lady is Lady Fanny
Sinclair, the only daughter of the 14th Earl of Caithness. One
version of the story says she fell in love with a stable hand, but
their romance was forbidden. After her father discovered the
relationship, the young man was banished from the estate.
Heartbroken, Lady Fanny is said to have waited by her bedroom
window, hoping her lover would return. When he never did, legend
claims she threw herself from the window.
Another version of the tale suggests the couple attempted to
elope before being caught. Lady Fanny was allegedly locked in a
bedroom on the castle’s upper floor, from where she later leapt to
her death.
Whichever version is told, the ending remains the same—and so
does the legend.
Over the years, visitors have reported unexplained experiences
while touring the castle. Some have claimed to sense an unseen
presence on the upper floor, while others have spoken of doors
closing by themselves and lights switching off without
explanation.
The room most closely associated with the legend is said to be
on the castle’s top floor, where some staff have admitted they are
reluctant to spend time alone. Adding to the mystery, one of the
upper-floor windows has long been bricked up, fuelling speculation
among those fascinated by the tale.
There is, of course, no evidence that the castle is genuinely
haunted, and the story of The Green Lady remains part of local
folklore rather than established history. Nevertheless, it has
become one of the most intriguing aspects of the Castle of Mey’s
rich past.
The Castle of Mey was purchased by Queen Elizabeth The Queen
Mother in 1952 following the death of King George VI and became her
cherished Scottish retreat for almost half a century. Today, it is
managed by The King’s Foundation, with King Charles continuing the
tradition of spending part of each summer at the estate.
