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Richard III: Discovery and identification

Genetics and genealogy

Professor Turi King and Professor Kevin Schürer’s work is freely available online in their peer-reviewed academic paper, Identification of the remains of King Richard III.

The DNA analysis and conclusion

Overview

An overview of genetics at Leicester and the approach for the identification.

Lines of descent

We needed DNA comparison to confirm the identity of the Greyfriars bones.

Female-line family tree

Details of the female-line family tree.

Male-line family tree

Details of the male-line family tree.

Living relatives

How we used DNA analysis from living relatives to confirm the identity of the skeleton.

DNA analysis

Professor Turi King collected DNA samples from the living female-line and male-line relatives of Richard III and carried out the DNA analysis on those samples at the University of Leicester.

DNA results

The results of the DNA analysis showed us the hair and eye colour of Richard III.