Bid to bring Richard III’s skeleton to Minster falters

Ministers confirmed a skeleton which could be that of Richard will be laid to rest at Leicester Cathedral if it is confirmed as the 15th Century king.

There had been calls for the remains to be buried in York Minster - where the infamous monarch is said to have wished to have his last resting place. The Richard III Foundation expressed bitter disappointment the remains are due to be buried in the Midlands and not in Yorkshire.

The foundation’s chief executive, Joe Ann Ricca, said: “If his remains are really going to be buried in Leicester, we would hope he at least has a traditional Christian service. But it’s kind of a monstrous act when you know that the former king of England had expressed the desire and a wish to be buried at York Minster.”

An archaeological dig in a council car park in Leicester in September unearthed a skeleton with a metal arrow in its back that could be the remains of the medieval monarch. London furniture maker Michael Ibsen, a descendant of Richard III’s eldest sister Anne of York, is having a sample of his DNA compared with that of the skeleton to verify whether it is the king. Richard had close ties to Yorkshire, and his childhood home was at Middleham Castle. His troubled two-year reign up until 1485 was plagued by revolts and the legend of the Princes in the Tower. His body was brought to Leicester where he was buried after he fell in the Battle of Bosworth.

The Government has confirmed the remains will be re-interred at Leicester Cathedral if they are confirmed as those of Richard.

The Shadow Culture Secretary and Labour MP for Barnsley Central, Dan Jarvis, had written to Ministers to ask what would happen to the remains. He claimed it “seems right” the monarch be re-interred in Leicester.

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