Richard III - the results are almost in...

On Monday, 4th February, at 10am in the University of Leicester Council Chambers, a press conference will be held to announce whether the skeleton found under the Leicester City Car Park is really that of Richard III. [I can't wait!]

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:

      Digging for a King, 

      Richard III Part II 

      and 

      Richard III Exciting Update.

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 :-)