On Monday evening at 9pm on Channel 4 a programme called 'The King in the Car Park' will be shown. They'll be explaining all the procedures involved in the dig and subsequent scientific testing. If you can't receive Channel 4 programmes then watch this space and I'll post a follow-up blog about it on Tuesday.
This is the most exciting thing that has ever happened in Leicester in all the years I've been living here [and as I was born in Leicester, that really is a lot of years!]
If you're new to my blog and don't know what all the excitement is about then please nip over to my earlier posts about the archaeological dig and the discovery of the skeleton. You can find them by clicking on the titles:
and
There are people all over the world who are dedicated to finding out the truth about Richard III. The Richard III Society has over 3,500 members worldwide and I met one of those members while I was waiting to view the dig all those months ago. She was from America and I had a fascinating discussion with her as we shuffled along in the queue. She pointed out that there is sufficient evidence to show that Richard III was not the evil hunch-back as portrayed by Shakespeare and that this was merely a Tudor strategy to strengthen their tenuous links to the throne.
How sad to think that for so many centuries this man has been maligned. If it does turn out to be the King, [and I'm really hoping that it does] I suspect that Leicester Cathedral, only one street away from the dig, will provide him with a respectfully peaceful and sacred resting place...
...Then you could all come and visit Leicester. Now that would be exciting!
P.S. I've just been told that Matthew Ward will be live-tweeting from the press conference on @HistoryNeedsYou. So now we can all be there, [so long as we tweet which I do!]
STOP PRESS: the announcement was made this morning, Monday 4th February, confirming that it is King Richard III. I will be blogging in more detail tomorrow :-)
...Then you could all come and visit Leicester. Now that would be exciting!
P.S. I've just been told that Matthew Ward will be live-tweeting from the press conference on @HistoryNeedsYou. So now we can all be there, [so long as we tweet which I do!]
STOP PRESS: the announcement was made this morning, Monday 4th February, confirming that it is King Richard III. I will be blogging in more detail tomorrow :-)
I'm just the same Ros....getting so excited about the announcement. I'm working on Monday....reading news bulletins until 11pm so will be reflecting on the BIG news!
ReplyDeleteIt's got to be him, it's got to be him....otherwise I will be having such an embarrassing day!!!
Well you'll know before me, Bridget, as I'm quite sure BBC Radio Leicester will be a buzz with it all day!
DeleteAnd you can have a Richard 111 party. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for good news for Feb 4th.
ReplyDeleteI'll be keeping them crossed for me too, that day. I have to renew my driver's lic. then and I am worried about my eye test.
Looking forward to reading your next post.
A party? Yes! What a great idea and all the best for you're eye test and driving licence renewal. It's so important to remain independent and that's what a car gives you.
DeleteI'll have to switch you on on Tuesday morning, Ros, as I'm back at choir on Monday evenings (unless I slip away and miss the final chorus to watch the telly at 9!)
ReplyDeleteYou'll be getting me in trouble with your choir leader if you do. Follow @HistoryNeedsYou tweets on Monday morning and do pop back on Tuesday. There'll either be a carnival atmosphere or the opposite!
DeleteI'm poised for the 04th Feb, I really hope it's him. :-)
ReplyDeleteThe whole subject is fasinating. Digging up bones from the past and finding out about their lives. I'm sure whoever they find, whether it be the king or not, will be interesting.
ReplyDeleteYes, isn't it. I wonder if archaeology departments at universities are having a flux of applications as a result of this.
DeleteThose of us who aren't evil - just hunch backs - want to know whether he really did have a spinal deformity. You see - I WANT him to have. I want it to be him and I want his skeleton to be skewed.
ReplyDeleteI must remember to go onto Twitter on Monday morning.
Fingers crossed all weekend!
The skeleton definitely shows that there was an abnormality of the shoulder and arm I believe. Not sure if that would have affected the spine. Wonder if that's something we'll never know?
DeleteYes, I've been following this story all along. So fascinating that they may have found him. I'll be eagerly awaiting the news from the press conference. Still a fan of Shakespeare's Richard III though. Such a great, evil character. But perhaps invented to please a queen. :))
ReplyDeleteYes, Shakespeare misrepresented quite a lot of history to please Elizabeth who, according to local accounts, he was besotted with.
DeleteI've been a fan of Richard III since I was about 14 and read some historical novels where he appeared at the end. I really have to find those books again, sometimes I just purge my books too wildly. Anyway, I'm so excited and I hope these are his remains. Wouldn't that be incredible?
ReplyDeleteI wonder if anyone else news which books they could be. I'm reading everything Richard III at moment - becoming obsessed!
DeleteHow exciting! In just a few short days, everyone will know!
ReplyDeleteOh dear, what if it's not him?!
DeleteI shall keep my eyes on your blog. Fingers crossed and good luck for great news. Very exciting, indeed.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it! See you on Tuesday :-)
DeleteI apologize for not having time to read your post. Today my job is to welcome you to the A-Z Challenge and offer my resources should you need anything!
ReplyDeleteTina @ Life is Good
Co-host, April 2013 A-Z Challenge
@TinaLifeisGood, #atozchallenge
That's ok, Tina. Thanks for popping by. Can't wait for the A to Z challenge and I'll be over at the A to Z site as guest blogger very soon so I shall be directing my blogger mates there for a visit :-)
DeleteHi Ros .. Monday will be so interesting ... and his skeleton could be deformed from fighting .. the BBC historical cold cases confirmed this - so he could be injured, or have developed huge bone structures on his fighting side ... but like you I am waiting with baited breath and will thoroughly enjoy seeing the programme .. I doubt I'll have got to tweeting by then .. but something to consider ...
ReplyDeleteCheers and have a lovely weekend .. Hilary
Wouldn't it be fantastic if it was him! After all this time! Really looking forward to this! So much better than Time Team!!
ReplyDeleteOh goodness, I wish I could watch it here! I was thinking how thrilling it must be to be there and so close to the action! It would be great if Richard found his rightful place in our history books again. That old saying of 'history is written by the victors' is never more likely to be true than in this case. It makes you wonder how much other history has been written for the sake of governmental PR!
ReplyDeleteSurely it must be him. The programme looks very interesting,I must read up on him first as I don't know a lot about him, history was my poorest subject at school.
ReplyDeleteThe news is already out, Ros! I saw a newspaper article about it online. Fantastic! I wish I could see the programme even more now.
ReplyDelete