by Leigh Goessl

Created on: February 05, 2013

 After months of speculation, the results of whether or not human remains found under a Leicester parking lot in the United Kingdom are those of King Richard III are in. According to archaeologists and researchers, the body that was excavated in 2012 was that of King Richard III, the last Plantagenet king.

For centuries, no one knew where the King had been buried. Records indicated Richard III had been buried at a Franciscan Friary known as "Greyfriars", however the location of that church had gotten lost over the centuries since it was demolished during King Henry VIII's reign.

Last fall an excavation project commenced after researchers realized where Greyfriars might be located. There were hopes that the King's remains would be found, but at that time, experts thought while there was an almost certainty that Greyfriars would be located, it was less likely the King's remains would be found. Finding the King was "a real long shot", the project's lead archaeologist had said at the time.

Greyfriars was found, along with the remains of two humans, one female, one male. The male skeleton was highly suspected to be the remains of Richard III, but extensive testing was to take place before any conclusions were made.

On Feb. 4, 2013 a conference was held by the University of Leicester which confirmed the remains of King Richard III have been found. The results were a culmination of several indicators including radiocarbon dating, bone analysis and archaeological testing. DNA testing was also performed, with the skeletal remains compared with those of two living descendents of Richard III and these were confirmed to be matches.

In addition, the injuries that were noted on the skeleton were consistent with those of trauma and battle wounds that aligned with historical accounts of King Richard III's final day at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 during the War of the Roses.

“It is the academic conclusion of the University of Leicester that the individual exhumed at Grey Friars in August 2012 is indeed King Richard III, the last Plantagenet King of England," University of Leicester archaeologists co-director Richard Buckley, the lead archaeologist on the Search for Richard III, said in a press release.  “It has been an honour and privilege for all of us to be at the centre of an academic project that has had such phenomenal global interest and mass public appeal. Rarely have the conclusions of academic research been so eagerly awaited.”

Richard III's remains will be reburied in Leicester Cathedral, close to the site of his original grave. A memorial service will be held early next year, reported CNN . However, it seems there is controversy as to where the King's remains will ultimately rest.

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