British researchers say they have identified a skeleton excavated from under a parking lot as the remains of King Richard III, who died in battle in 1485. DNA tests were used to match the bones, unearthed in September 2012, with a sample taken from a living relative of the king, who was the last of the Plantagenet dynasty.
The King In The Parking Lot: DNA Tests Identify Bones Of Richard III
1
A photo distributed by the University of Leicester shows the 500-year-old skeleton unearthed at the Grey Friars Church excavation site in Leicester, in England's Midlands.
2
A church that once stood near the grave was destroyed in the 16th century, and the location of the burial site was unknown for centuries.
3
Dr. Jo Appleby, a lecturer in bioarchaeology at Leicester University, addresses a press conference about the researchers' findings. DNA taken from the excavated remains was found to match a 17th-generation descendant of the king's sister.
4
The skeleton was found to have a curved spine and signs of severe battle injuries, matching historical descriptions of King Richard III, the last British king to die in battle.
5
A television screen grab shows a portrait of the king beside his newly identified skull. Richard was widely depicted as one of history's villains, and was described by William Shakespeare as a hunchback and a murderer.
6
Men dressed as medieval knights pose for pictures at the excavation site. The remains of the king will later be buried at the cathedral in the city of Leicester, not far from where they were uncovered.