Eagle-eyed royal watchers spot ‘Grim Reaper’ at King Charles III coronation

Eagle-eyed royal watchers got a royal fright when they spotted an ominous guest wandering around Westminster Abbey during King Charles III’s coronation.

Eagle-eyed viewers were royally spooked by this ominous sighting at King Charles III’s coronation on Saturday.

The highlight of any and every royal event is playing Spot That Celebrity among the audience. And King Charles III’s coronation was no different.

From the royals themselves, to foreign dignitaries, celebrities and everyone in between, a smorgasbord of familiar faces were scattered about Westminster Abbey for the historic occasion.

But eagle-eyed viewers spotted a more ominous guest wandering around the church in the background of the television broadcast: none other than Death itself.

A person wrapped in hooded black robes carrying a long rod – eerily similar to a scythe – was caught dashing across the arch of the quire screen in the BBC broadcast.

The blink-or-you’ll-miss-it sighting set social media alight, with viewers quick to check whether their eyes were deceiving them.

“Anyone else just notice the Grim Reaper at Westminster Abbey?” was the question ringing around the online crowd.

Anyone else just notice the Grim Reaper at Westminster Abbey? 👀#Coronationpic.twitter.com/77s4XIY17i

— Joe (@realjoegreeeen) May 6, 2023

Why is the Grim Reaper at the Coronation celebrations !! pic.twitter.com/KK1jexTYrI

— Neil 1878 Wood (@legendweaver) May 6, 2023

Some replied thankful someone recorded and shared the sighting, saying they thought they were “going mad”.

“Yes!” another replied. “I thought it was a witch!”

One TikTok user also shared the video writing – in a frantic upper case caption – “it can’t just be me that saw it”, likening the figure to the animated Reaper in the Sims computer game.

“Did someone just edit this in or was that actually someone walking past?” another asked.

Royal watchers couldn’t believe their eyes when the dark cloaked figure wandered past the quire arch. Picture: BBC

It was not immediately clear who the cloaked figure might be, but there were plenty of theories floating around.

Some joked it was Meghan Markle sneaking around the Abbey in disguise, while others suggested it could be the late Princess Diana paying a visit to her ex-husband on his special day.

“Diana’s invite defo (sic) arrived,” another wrote.

Another suggested it was King Charles III’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II popping by.

“(Queen) Elizabeth escaped,” one wrote.

“Lizzy came back with backup this time,” someone chimed in.

“Lizzy wants her crown back.”

Another said the Grim Reaper lookalike simply was “trying to find the toilet” in the church.

Me watching the Grim Reaper appear at the #Coronationpic.twitter.com/L4as4soYau

— i have no idea (@UpdateJoke_) May 6, 2023

Westminster Abbey later clarified to media the figure was a verger, a member of the abbey community who assists with religious services but is not a member of the clergy.

The viral, spooky sighting comes after two royal “superfans” – who claim to have predicted the deaths of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip – warned they sensed ominous vibes for the big day.

“We’ve had visions, like slide shows in our heads, that security needs to be high,” Lynne Antink, 78, told Jam Press, according to The New York Post.

“My first vision was the crown falling, and I don’t know what this means, but it’ll either fall from the cushion or from the king’s head.”

I was the guy in the background, hoping/praying/sweating for the crown to sit tight. Picture: Victoria Jones/AFP

And it did! As though King Charles III was born to wear it. Picture: Richard Pohle/AFP

Thankfully nothing of the sort happened – even if it took a bit to get the hefty St Edwards Crown to sit snug on the King’s head (maybe the Archbishop was spooked by the Antinks’ prediction) – and the ceremony went off without a hitch.

The biggest mishap of the day, if we had to pick one, was perhaps the unfortunately awkward footage of American pop star Katy Perry nearly face planting and wandering around the Abbey looking for her seat.

Perry was an unlikely guest at the ceremony, but she will take a starring role at the Coronation concert at Windsor Castle on Sunday.

The concert line-up also includes Lionel Richie – who was also in the abbey for the ceremony – and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, who is expected to perform a duet with Welsh opera star Sir Bryn Terfel.

It took some time for concert organisers to cement a guest list worthy of a king, with British superstars Ed Sheeran, Adele, and Elton John allegedly turning down the invite due to pre-existing tour commitments.