William and Kate’s ‘Spooky’ Halloween Celebrations at 'Remote' Balmoral Cabin Detailed by Ex-Butler
Prince William and Kate Middleton are quite similar in their interests and playful sense of humor. Though the Prince and Princess of Wales appear stoic during official engagements, behind closed doors, they’re known for their warm, fun-loving personalities. Reflecting on their lively gatherings, former royal butler Grant Harrold pulled back the curtain on a 2009 'spooky' Halloween party the couple hosted at Balmoral.
As reported by Marie Claire, the former royal butler revealed that when the younger royals used to go away for Halloween, he joined William and Middleton in Scotland. "I remember back in 2009, they threw a Halloween party at one of the remote cabins on the estate." According to Harrold, the Castle has several remote cabins, which are the perfect setting for a ‘spooky’ evening. He recounted, "I and one of the other butlers kitted it all out for Halloween with cobwebs and spiders." After the butlers had finished decorating, Harrold revealed that Middleton and William took over from there, personally serving their guests.
Gushing about the royal couple’s down-to-earth nature, Harrold continued, "The kitchens packed up the food for William and Kate to take down [to the cabin]. They took it all down themselves, unpacking it and serving it themselves. They then washed it all back up, packed up the boxes, and brought it back up to the main house." The party was reportedly a casual and intimate affair, free from the pomp and pageantry that one would expect from royals. Harrold recounted that the party "wasn’t huge... There were about 12 people there." According to him, William and Middleton also "didn’t do fancy dress, they were all in jeans and shirts."
Fast forward a few years, and the Prince and Princess of Wales have instilled their love for Halloween into their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. In 2023, their neighbor Jay posted a snap of Middleton and her children standing in costumes outside his gate. He captioned the post, "For anyone doubting how down-to-earth William and Kate are… This is Kate with their kids knocking on our door in London, trick-or-treating at Halloween." In the snapshot, the family appeared to have arrived at Ruthland’s home after school day.
For Halloween, William and Middleton reportedly retreat to Anmer Hall, their Norfolk residence, as claimed by a resident. Fellow shopper, Kathy Whittaker, has often witnessed the Princess shopping for Halloween outfits in the area. She told The Mirror in 2019, "I didn't see what she [Middleton] actually bought. The lady who told me she was there had children with her, and she said Kate was asking her children what they were going to be for Halloween. I think she bought some Halloween bits for her kids, but I don't know what." Whittaker mentioned that Middleton was with her two eldest, George and Charlotte, at the time.