Anne Boleyn’s Ghost Remains with the Living

Alexandria Ducksworth
The Weird Closet
Published in
3 min readMay 19, 2020

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“Anne Boleyn’s Execution” (via Wikimedia Commons)

Anne Boleyn didn’t live long as queen when she was married to King Henry VIII. Might as well rule England in the afterlife, right?

A King’s Rise and a Queen’s Fall

“Henry VII and Anne Boleyn” (via Wikimedia Commons)

King Henry VIII, son of the “Huckster King” Henry VII, ruled England from 1509 to 1547. During his reign, he had six wives for the sole purpose of producing a male heir. Anne Boleyn became Henry’s second wife after his first wife, Catherine of Aragon.

The former King of England could not merely clap his hands together and call for a divorce. The Roman Catholic Church did not allow it. Henry established the Church of England so he could finally leave Catherine and marry Anne. Unfortunately, problems followed Henry into his new marriage.

Anne gave Henry a daughter instead of son, the future Queen Elizabeth I. He and Anne tried again, only leading to a series of miscarriages. It was not long until Henry’s eyes wandered to a new woman: Jane Seymour.

As Henry and Anne’s relationship waned, Anne was accused of witchcraft, incest (with her brother George Boleyn), and treason against the King. She was sent to the infamous Tower of London and executed on May 19, 1536. It was not long for Henry to move on with his new wife. He and Jane Seymour married on May 30.

Anne Boleyn may be dead, but it doesn’t mean she has left this world.

Anne Boleyn’s Return

The Tower of London, one of Anne Boleyn’s hauntings. (Photo by David Anderson on Unsplash)

About three centuries after Anne Boleyn’s death, a man suffers a heart attack after seeing the ghostly figure of the former queen in St. John’s Chapel. Within the same area, a guard mistakes Anne’s spirit for an intruder. He discovers his grave mistake after attempting to stab the unwanted guest with a bayonet, only for it to go through the spectral’s body.

It appears Anne has some unfinished business in our world, but what?

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