King Richard III Found, DNA Tests Confirm


DNA tests have confirmed that human remains found buried underneath a car park in Leicester are those of King Richard III.

British scientists said Monday that they are convinced “beyond reasonable doubt” that the skeleton found in the central England town last August is that of the monarch, who was the killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. He was the last English king to die in battle.

According to CNN, DNA extracted from the bones of the skeleton was matched to Michael Ibsen, a Canadian cabinetmaker who is a direct descendant of Anne of York, Richard III’s sister.

Dr. Turi King, a geneticist for the project said, said at a press conference:

“There is a DNA match between the maternal DNA of the descendants of the family of Richard III and the skeletal remains we found at the Greyfriars dig. In short, the DNA evidence points to these being the remains of Richard III.”

The remains of King Richard III were found in what was once Greyfriars friary, the small monastery where he was buried. The site is now a city council car park. The remains will be reburied at Leicester Cathedral, and a memorial service is expected to be held next year.

Investigators had been examining the remains since they were discovered almost six months ago. The University of Leicester released a photograph of the skull, riddled with battle scars, prior to the announcement of the DNA test confirmation.

Jo Appleby, a lecturer in human bioarchaeology at the university, “The skull was in good condition, although fragile, and was able to give us detailed information.”

The skeleton of King Richard III had 10 injuries including eight to the skull, according to the BBC. He was 32 years old at the time of his death and had only sat on the throne for two years before he died.

[Image credit: Georgios Kollidas]

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