The existence of the rightful Heir is thought to have been known to only four men at one time, the Earl of Strathmore, the illegitimate heir, the family lawyer and the factor of the estate.
At the age of 21 succeeding heirs were told the secret and shown the rightful Earl. In spite of his severe disabilities the true Earl of Glamis is reputed to have lived a long life and died around 1921.
Lady Strathmore after hearing rumours of the rightful Heir approached the factor, Mr Ralston, who flatly refused to reveal the secret saying "it is fortunate you do not know the truth for if you did you would never be happy", a reference presumably to the incarceration of the rightful Earl because of his disabilities.
A portrait hung in the drawing room depicting a previous Earl of Strathmore with his two sons and an indescribably deformed dwarf seems to add credibility to the legend and even today it is suspected that the true Earl's deformed remains are still retained within Glamis castle.
A tongueless figure of a woman with large mournful eyes, pressing her pale face against a window as if appealing for help, has been seen on several occasions at Glamis castle. Did this poor woman suffer having her tongue cut out because she learned the secrets of Glamis Monster?
Evidence which seemed to confirm the existence an underground tunnel between Glamis Castle and Castle Huntly was unearthed by Colonel A. G. Paterson in 1939.
Since that date no official investigation has confirmed or denied it. Castle Huntly has recently passed into the hands of the Scottish Prison Service and I doubt it would be in thier best intrests to publicise any information about the tunnel at this time.
A popular legend persists that in 1821, the first son of the eleventh Earl of Glamis was born badly deformed. 