It's official: the skeletal remains found underneath an English parking last year belong to none other than King Richard III.
While there was plenty of evidence pointing experts towards such a conclusion, archaeologists confirmed the discovery through a series of DNA tests.
Researchers from the University of Leicester were able to extract mitochondrial DNA from the bones and linked the genetic evidence to two living descendants of the king's line. One, a Canadian cabinetmaker named Michael Ibsen, happens to be a descendent of Anne of York, Richard III's sister. The second wished to remain anonymous, according to the New York Times.
Additionally, the bones featured numerous wounds sustained from battle, an arrowhead lodged in the skeleton's spine, and other signs that upheld existing historical accounts of the man.
"The skeleton has a number of unusual features: its slender build, the scoliosis and the battle-related trauma," said Dr. Jo Appleby of the University's School of Archaeology and Ancient History in a statement. "All of these are highly consistent with the information that we have about Richard III in life and about the circumstances of his death. Taken as a whole, the skeletal evidence provides a highly convincing case for identification as Richard III."
The bones were first discovered last August using ground-piercing radar in a location that surprised many. Archaeologists expected to find the king's remains below a 19th century bank only to be led across the street to a parking lot.
Researchers were skeptical at first, but after intense scrutiny they ruled out any potential tampering and began confirming what was in front of their nose.
"It was a bit of a shock when the curve of the spine was found," said the geneticist Turi King. "Then, with a lot of disbelief, there was this dawning realisation that if you had a check list of everything you wanted to see on a skeleton to say it was Richard III, this ticked every box."
Richard III only served as king for two years before being killed in battle, but his tenure has been marked by many to be less than glorious. Shakespeare famously portrayed him as evil and villainous, though this discovery has renewed calls for a more nuanced perspective on the man.
