Swedish royal palace haunted but ghosts friendly, queen says

The queen says phantoms at their private Drottningholm Palace are "pretty friendly" in a documentary to be aired on public television channel SVT.

Stockholm: Queen Silvia says one of the Swedish royal family's palaces is haunted but there is nothing to be afraid of.

The queen says phantoms at their private Drottningholm Palace are "pretty friendly" in a documentary about to be aired today on public television channel SVT.

Silvia says smilingly "there are ghosts, many" before adding "you feel you get a little excited" when talking about them.

Asked whether she had experienced the ghosts herself, she replied "of course. But they are friendly."

Located on an island in Stockholm's archipelago, the royals' private residence was originally built in the late 16th century.

Silvia, born in Germany as Silvia Renate Sommerlath, is married to King Carl XVI Gustaf, Sweden's ceremonial head of state.