Ironically, I mentioned in my last post that RA had gone to ground. Today I stumbled on some information about the skeleton found in Leicester and the possibility that it could be RIII. I unearthed an article on CNN entitled "Richard III: The mystery of the King and the car park" which mentions that Richard Armitage has been approached to play the role of RIII by Philippa Langley who has researched the King and written a screenplay for a film about him. A quick search unearthed an interview with Roswitha, one of the RA bloggers who has been passionate about RA doing this project. "Fans clamour for actor to become king" in This is Leicestershire. Very exciting!!!
Now it seems RA is to be interviewed on BBC Radio Leicester (at some point in time soon ... I can't work out time zones), and on February 2nd, Herald Scotland published an article "Hobbit actor lines up role as Richard III"
So, for all the bloggers known to me who have been passionate about RA playing King Richard III, your dedication appears to have borne results. I remember how I felt when his casting in The Hobbit was announced. I wanted to break out the champagne, but had a glass of wine instead ... I was so excited!
While I have been quiet about RA playing this role, consider me to be a bit of a quiet supporter. I was captivated by Jospehine Tey's book way back in the 1980's - I remember a patient suggesting I read it, and I could not put it down.
We also have a first edition of "Sunne in Splendour" in our bookcase. It has always been on my "must read" books, but I confess tha I haven't quite got around to reading it yet.
If any reader strays onto this blog, and you are interested in this topic, please visit "King Richard Armitage: Support network for the film "Richard III".
Happy for you, ladies :). Very exciting development.
Following is an article in today's Sydney Morning Herald if anyone is interested.
City agog to see riddle of Richard III resolved
- Maev Kennedy
On Monday the world will learn if the remains under the Leicester parking lot are in fact Richard III, the last Plantagenet king.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/city-agog-to-see-riddle-of-richard-iii-resolved-20130204-2dtaa.html#ixzz2JucuhNp9http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/9846693/Richard-III-highly-convincing-case-skeleton-is-the-king.html
Last of the line ... archaelogists will reveal on Monday whether they believe the skeleton under scrutiny is Richard's. Photo: Reuters
LONDON: On Monday the people of Leicester, central England, should finally see the mortal remains of the neighbour who has provoked such intense curiosity for so long: the man from the car park, the skeleton excavated in September from the foundations of a long-demolished church, who may be revealed as Richard III, the last Plantagenet king.
Leicester University is considering how to share the discovery with the public, along with checks by scientists and preparations for the media invasion – including how many bacon butties they will need to feed film crews.
Whether this is Richard III or not, this was a human being, not just an object of curiosity.
Richard Taylor, Leicester UniversityThe skeleton, with what appears to be a fearsome battle wound in the skull and a contorted spine, will be shown to the media for the first time, though the university insists it will be done "with dignity and respect". "We're not going to have people doing pieces to camera with one hand on the bones," Richard Taylor, director of corporate affairs at the university, said. "Whether this is Richard III or not, this was a human being, not just an object of curiosity."
Discovery ... The archaeologist Mathew Morris in the trench where he found the remains last year. Photo: Reuters
Few have seen the skeleton, which will be laid out in a separate room. "After the media event we do hope to give some public access: we are very aware that the people of Leicester feel this is also their discovery," Mr Taylor said.
There were long queues on open days, even though there was little to see except fragmentary foundations of the medieval Greyfriars church and a small, grave-shaped hole in the scruffy asphalt.
Richard rode out from Leicester to the Bosworth battlefield, where he died, on August 22, 1485. The crown that rolled from his head ended the reign of the Plantagenets, and the Tudor victor became Henry VII. By some accounts Richard's body was stripped on the battlefield, brought back to Leicester slung over a horse, and humiliatingly exposed in the town centre.
According to legend, the landlord of the White Boar, where Richard spent his last night in the town, heard of the regime change and hastily repainted his inn sign from Richard's emblem to a politically neutral blue boar.
Although some accounts say Richard's body was dumped in the river, many believe it was claimed by the Franciscans and buried hastily but in a position of honour near the high altar of their church – exactly where the remains were found.
Curiosity is as intense among archaeologists as the public, though opinions are divided. The editor of British Archaeology, journal of the Council for British Archaeology, Mike Pitts, has worked on ancient human remains from Stonehenge. He has heard rumours that the attempt to extract DNA has either failed or was inconclusive, but still has a hunch that the tests, plus historical evidence, including the location of the grave, may be enough. "If all that comes together to support an identification of Richard III, then I'm sure many would be prepared to accept it," he said.
But Professor Mark Horton, of Bristol University, is much more sceptical. "The problem is the 'smoking gun'," he said. "How do you prove these are indeed royal bones? Even if the DNA survives, it is not the panacea most people assume. There is a high rate of illegitimacy over the generations."
The battlefield archaeologist Tony Pollard, who matched DNA from an unrecorded World War I cemetery at Fromelles in France with living descendants, finds the saga fascinating. "Finding a named individual from a known battlefield so long ago is a fantastically rare thing – it's only the fact that this might be Richard that would make such an identification possible."
In September the university said results would take "about 12 weeks". In late December, rumours circulated that the delay was because the results were negative or inconclusive, but the university insists the tests simply took longer than expected because of their range and complexity.
The tests included attempts to extract DNA to compare with that of Michael Ibsen, a Canadian believed to be a direct descendant of Richard's sister Anne. Bone samples have also been dated and tooth samples have been analysed for diet and health. Forensic pathologists, with experts on mediaeval weaponry, have been poring over the skeleton to determine the cause of death.
If the remains are confirmed as Richard's, the next battle will be over what happens next. There have been demands for a full state funeral, and rival claims that he should be buried in York Minster, as the last king from the north, or Westminster Abbey.
The people of Leicester insist he should stay in their city, a call supported by Mr Ibsen, who told the Leicester Mercury: "He was killed there and he was buried there. My personal feeling is that it's only proper he remains there."
Guardian News & Media
UPDATE: Remains have been confirmed by experts as King Richard III (9.40pm Aust. East. Time)