Richard III: Buried Under A Council Car Park?

Archaeologists believe they may have finally found the precise burial site of Richard III - under a car park used for Leicester City Council offices.

Experts from the University of Leicester are starting the first attempt to uncover the royal's remains this weekend.

Historical records indicate that Richard, who was king for two years, was buried in a Franciscan Friary known as Greyfriars.

But the monastery was partly destroyed under Henry VIII.

In studying historical maps, researchers say the most likely location for the burial site is under the council's land, right in the city centre.

The experts, who will be at the site for two-weeks, will be using ground-penetrating radar to determine the best spots to dig.

Richard III was the last Yorkist King of England and met his fate at the hands of Henry Tudor's army during the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. He is often depicted in art as a hunchback but there is little contemporary evidence for this.

But he does have a reputation as a tyrannous ruler who has been connected to the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower.

Richard Buckley, the archaeologist leading the dig, said: "The big question for us is determining the whereabouts of the church on the site, and also where in the church the body was buried.

"Although in many ways finding the remains of the king is a long shot, it is a challenge we shall undertake enthusiastically.

"There is certainly potential for the discovery of burials within the area, based on previous discoveries and the postulated position of the church."

If remains are found, they will undergo DNA analysis at the university to confirm that they are those of the king whose death is often considered the end of the Middle Ages.