David Rizzio, an Italian musician and secretary to Mary, Queen of Scots, met a violent end in the Palace of Holyroodhouse on 9 March 1566. His influence and close relationship with the queen stirred resentment and jealousy, particularly from Mary’s husband, Lord Darnley. On that night, Darnley, along with several Protestant nobles, forced their way into Mary’s private chambers and, in front of the pregnant queen, dragged Rizzio into the next room. There, they stabbed him repeatedly, with most contemporary accounts suggesting he suffered more than fifty wounds. The site of this murder, a chamber in the palace’s historic tower, has become a focal point for one of Scotland’s best known ghost stories.
According to tradition, Rizzio’s ghost is said to appear around the anniversary of his death each year, particularly in the rooms where he was killed. Over the centuries, various guests, visitors, and staff members have reported eerie phenomena within the palace on or around 9 March. These reports often describe unexplained chills, fleeting shadows, and the sense of a haunting presence in Mary’s apartments and nearby corridors. Some stories claim that Rizzio’s apparition has been seen moving through the tower or standing at the spot where he was attacked.
