Richard III: Discovery and identification
The road to reinterment
On the morning of Saturday 22 March, Richard III’s mortal remains left the University of Leicester, formally starting six days of events across the city and county of Leicestershire commemorating the king’s life, death and reburial with dignity and honour.
Following a short ceremony at the University, the coffin was transported to Fen Lane Farm, the spot thought most likely to be close to where Richard III was killed, for a service of remembrance before going on to the nearby Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre. From there the cortege carrying the king travelled through Market Bosworth and the villages closely associated with the battle, before returning to Leicester.
Upon arriving at Bow Bridge in Leicester, where legend has it that Richard III struck his spur on the way to Bosworth and then struck his head when his body returned, the king’s cortege was greeted by civic dignitaries and thousands of spectators. His final journey took him through the city streets lined with throngs of people to Leicester Cathedral where Dr Richard Buckley formally relinquished the University of Leicester’s care of Richard III’s mortal remains to the Cathedral.
For the next three days, the coffin lay in ‘repose’ and thousands upon thousands of people queued for up to four hours from early morning until evening to view it and pay their respects to the king.
On Thursday 26 March, millions of people from around the world watched as Richard III’s remains were reinterred in a service at Leicester Cathedral. The following day, a final service was held revealing the two-tonne Swaledale fossil limestone tomb atop a Kilkenny marble plinth marking Richard III’s final resting place.