BBC - Lucy Worsley Investigates - The Princes in The Tower

What really happened to the princes in the tower? Lucy Worsley uncovers the story of the two boys, whose disappearance in 1483 has led to centuries of mystery and speculation.

The two princes, Edward and Richard, lived during the Wars of the Roses, a decades-long fight over the English throne between the house of Lancaster and the house of York. Edward IV, the boys’ father, was the first Yorkist King. His eldest son, Edward, was destined to inherit the throne - and this fact entirely shaped his young life.

Edward was just 12 when his father King Edward IV died, and his age meant he wasn’t considered ready to rule. Edward IV had appointed his brother Richard to be the young King’s protector, but not everyone was happy with this arrangement. What followed was a tussle for control between Richard and the Queen’s family, the Woodvilles.

The princes were taken to the Tower of London ‘for their own protection’, but when a priest declared the boys illegitimate and Richard next in line to the throne, Richard was crowned King.

The gaps in the historical record have fuelled 500 years of speculation, so Lucy speaks to Tim Thornton, Professor of History at the University of Huddersfield, who has found evidence of one account of what happened written by Thomas More; and Matthew Lewis, Chair of the Richard III Society for his views on the events.

The enduring story of the Princes in the Tower not only reveals fascinating insights about childhood, and the nature of politics and power in mediaeval England, but how the interpretations of events are never fixed, with new evidence ensuring this story continues to fascinate.

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