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.
