What an extraordinary story this has been, finding the body of King Richard beneath a car park. They dug where the tarmac had been printed with a letter 'R' and there he was. I consider myself a Yorkist, born and bred as I was in Yorkshire, my parents' house just a few miles up the dale from Middleham Castle where Richard spent part of his childhood.
I have followed the developments and identification of the body with great interest and was one of many who thought that his bones should be returned to York and reinterred there. But today the city of Leicester gave him a right royal send-off. The Bishop of Leicester spoke of his wish for tribal differences to cease, a good word to use because it is far reaching.
The simple oak coffin, lead lined, was made by King Richard's direct descendant.
The two remaining direct descendants on the female side had provided DNA samples to aid identification of the remains.
Earth taken from Fotherinhay, Middleham and Bosworth, symbolising Richard's birth, life and death, was scattered on the coffin.
The actor Benedict Cumberbatch, who is due to play King Richard in the BBC series, 'The Hollow Crown' read a poem composed for the occasion by the Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy.
(The actor is third cousin, sixteen times removed, from King Richard.)
Other well-known actors were present,
the music was beautiful.
It was an altogether fascinating occasion.
