Solving a 500 Year Old Cold Case - with Turi King

When a 500 year old skeleton was discovered under a parking lot in Leicester, England, geneticist Turi King and her team set out to determine whether it could belong to the lost monarch Richard III.
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In this year's Genetics Society JBS Haldane Lecture, Turi King will discuss leading the international research team involved in the DNA identification work of the remains of Richard III and the current project to sequence his entire genome.
Watch the Q&A: • Q&A: Solving a 500 Yea...
Turi King is a Reader in Genetics and Archaeology and Professor of Public Engagement at the University of Leicester. She is perhaps best known for leading the genetics analysis in the King Richard III case leading to the identification of his remains in 2014 which led to his reinterment in Leicester Cathedral in 2015.
This talk and Q&A was recorded in the Ri on 26 November 2018.
0:17 Introduction
2:22 How the excavation came to be
5:06 Who was Richard III?
8:01 Why Leicester?
14:35 What would his skeleton look like?
17:37 The dig
25:30 Identifying the skeleton
31:17 Richard III's scoliosis doppelgänger
32:48 Identifying the fatal blow
36:21 Finding a living relative
46:51 The DNA results that confirmed Richard III's identity
48:12 A question of paternity
54:12 Using genetics to give Richard III a makeover
56:32 Richard III's celebrity descendants
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[@TheRoyalInstitution]

If you liked this video, you can see the Q&A with Turi from the same event here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eJaWnXeoYpKfbJY

[@zb7293]

Parhaps testing DNA from Richard III father, son with Richard III. That would be then correct.

[@frithbarbat]

Brilliant. Having this kind of material available to view for free is, in my opinion, the best and highest use of the internet.

[@lefantomer]

Very well done. But further research is making it likely that the "assumption" that Richard III -- or anyone else -- had his young nephews murdered in the Tower of London will have to undergo serious reconsideration!

[@sharonloomis5264]

She has such an amazing sense of humor. It's a joy to listen to her and one listens closely. Because one doesn't want to miss the humor.

[@nycbearff]

Professor King is such an excellent lecturer! I've known a lot of people in the sciences, it's not that common to find someone who's both a good professional scientist and a good professional interpreter of science for lay people. The latter takes so much time and energy that most scientists don't want to do it, even if they have the skills, and even though it's so important.

[@cathhl2440]

I quite enjoy her humour.

[@blueneptune825]

Yes, so very important and as a lay person it is much appreciated.✌🏼🐦

[@gillianbc]

She really is. I happened across this video in my feed and I have little interest in history, but I watched this end to end. It was absolutely fascinating.

[@loesvanginhoven573]

@@cathhl2440 3qq²

[@davidbaker2985]

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[@MSK-jd5fi]

This was absolutely fascinating. Professor King is a wonderful presenter, natural and humorous while being incredibly knowledgeable. My favorite part was her worries about spilling the genetic beans when telling one of the possible descendants that their parentage wasn’t what they thought.

[@dawnhewitt1]

She's so witty and down to earth, I cracked up when she said Richard had been de-feet-ed! She made this fun and interesting, she did an excellent job!!

[@Hannahk00]

I still find it crazy how they found and identified his remains, and everything they were able to learn from them.

[@Grahamvlogs802vt]

still a find our lifetime

[@Pippi-Longstocking]

And having someone with a very similar spine to give first hand experience of that it was like for him in armor. Practical archeology is so important !!

[@tattycakes2k2]

The sheer luck of him not being under a building or disturbed by the Victorians or anything else that’s happened there in the past 500 years…

[@cornishmaid9138]

I live in Leicester and was blessed to stand in the city centre, close to the cathedral, and paid my respects as King Richard passed by on the carriage. I subsequently was able to walk right behind the carriage right up to the Cathedral. I feel forever humbled by the experience.

[@llynhunter]

This is such a delightful lecture. Turi King is amazing! I was riveted to it and giggling with delight at the entire tale.

[@233Hicks]

She's a wonderful presenter and advocate for the field of study. A scientist and a storyteller is such a brilliant mix.

[@helenabiesma5560]

@@233Hicks but not interested - the Richard the Society who was interested and paid for it

[@monicacall7532]

Wow! What a journey the people who were part of the Richard III team went on! I remember watching the “funeral” service for Richard and thinking how amazing it was that the bones of a once living breathing king from over 500 years ago were found and definitely identified as being him. If the bones had somehow been found 20 or more years ago there wouldn’t have been the scientific breakthroughs that would’ve allowed team to definitely identify them as Richards’s. The excavation was lucky that it was the right time and right place to find him!

[@Good.Morning.Petty.Potatoes]

When I had first heard about how they had the full armor reenactment, I actually wasn't surprised by the results. When I was in high school I had a friend who had some scoliosis. Likely from always wearing a heavy backpack on one shoulder. I have a steel boned corset that she liked borrowing and she said that when she wore it she had less back pain because of the support.

[@LQOTW]

Well, I found the lecture a bit late in the game, although I have a feeling Richard won't mind a bit, seeing as he hung about for 500 yrs. Wonderful lecture by a brilliant scientist and speaker. Thank you very much for sharing this with the world.

[@CasAshworth1]

Oh this is excellent! The history, archeology, genealogy, genetics, all combined and very fascinating. Thank you for making this available on KZbin.

[@laurel237]

This is one of the best lectures I’ve heard. I’m not a Ricardian but interestingly have an mtDNA match with Richard. Thank you for posting!

[@patriciajrs46]

That's cool.

[@gonefishing167]

How fascinating. 🙏🙏👵👵🇦🇺🇦🇺

[@refuge42]

What a bang up job Dr. Turi King did on this lecture. I like it when someone has knitted together a good story, and delivers it in a compelling style which she did quite nicely. Then she dips into the genetic evidence just enough that I'm glad I didn't go to learn all that stuff and then somebody else did. The bits of strands from so many different directions and his being found in a car park was a knockdown 1-2 punch that really kept the story rolling. First rate job!

[@hatarismom]

As an avid genealogist, and a former president of a local genealogical society, thank you for the work you do. We have a family history going back to the Greenwall Deeds,and my family came to Canada during the American Revolution, being Quakers. It’s all extremely fascinating!

[@kashfiaislam9995]

Prince William did not father Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Kate’s 6’10” blonde bodyguard did. 🎭🩰🎨

[@hatarismom]

@@kashfiaislam9995 get stuffed you huge bag of wind…

[@MsGubins]

It was a delight to watch your presentation on RichardIII. I love your sense of humour.

[@smeeself]

This is the heart of what science and curiosity and honesty is all about. I doff my cap. 👑

[@YochevedDesigns]

Turi is such a fantastic story teller! I'd love to have her teach my history class.

[@kashfiaislam9995]

Prince William did not father Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Kate’s 6’10” blonde bodyguard did. 🎭🩰🎨

[@JenShea]

I love Turi's endearing and funny personality... and even more now that I've discovered she grew up in Canada. That was fascinating!!

[@yolandacroes5491]

This must be every archeologist’s dream. To be involved in a once in a generation?, millenium? discovery. Congrats to all involved. And thank you dr. King for a clear and engaging presentation of a fascinating subject.

[@freddiehansen7324]

Thank you! I adored listening to Prof. Turi King she is so smart and so good at explaining complex things in a simple manner. I could listen to her all day, both her and Dame Susan Margaret Black.

[@kerriefearby9542]

Totally facinating.. what could have been a dry subject was so well presented and easily understood. Congratulations.

[@Kathy91468]

I had heard bits and pieces if this story but never the whole thing. I've always wanted to know how this discovery was made and this video has answered that question. It was riveting. Thank you for making this available to the geneeral public.

[@SandraNelson063]

Young Dominic didn't just get kitted out in armor. He actually got himself up onto a horse and proved that Richard would have been quite effective as a fighter on horseback. Richard started training as a knight as a young boy, so while he was unable to fight on foot because of the scoliosis, on a horse he was formidable. As a Christian, he would have been eating a lot of fish due to religious dictates. As a noble, he would have got the best, certainly better than what the common folk got. So he got good quality protein that wasn't full of fat. If he had a preference to fish rather than the usual beef, venison, mutton, pork or fowl, that could account for his slighter build.

[@katmandudawn8417]

I loved the show where they researched Richard’s physiology with Dominic’s help. It was fascinating and so comprehensive. I’m not that enamored with Richard but I am fascinated with all the science and technology and new techniques that are all brought in to ferret out information.

[@dorothywillis1]

Which gives more probability to the words, "A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!"

[@fleetskipper1810]

Agreed-an unhorsed knight was likely soon to be a dead knight, whether it be Richard III or Henry V.

[@johnemerson1363]

There is a video of Dominic being set up to see if Richard III could actually fight on horse back. It starred one of the Time Team regulars and showed the entire transformation of Dominic from young man to Richard III reenactor..

[@JanaPersson]

That amount of luck in an excavation is like the winning lottery ticket blowing in through your window and landing in your hand just as the numbers are being announced on the telly.

[@johnemerson1363]

When I saw that this video was an hour long I hesitated to watch. I am very glad I did. Beautiful!!!

[@adoptedscot]

What an entertaining lecture - Turi King is a very good speaker, adds in humour with precise information. Well done.

[@BrightestBlessings7899]

I'm in Canada too. Such a great lecture!! Lectures like this make me love history!

[@WhippetOut]

How impressive is Professor King! What a stunning lecture. Brilliant.

[@cyclingnerddelux698]

I love clever people solving mysteries. Lovely lecture. Thanks for postings!

[@rebeccaruiz842]

Such fun!!! We watched this lecture in my intro to forensics anthropology class and my KZbin algorithm sent this video to me. I enjoyed listening to the whole lecture.

[@AvaCherry189]

So well done Professor King. I wish my professors in college were so knowledgeable and interesting to listen to. This was fascinating. Enthralling every word. Thanks.

[@girlwheels]

This was clearly a lot of work, many years of a lot of work. The way she explained everything was so clear, and very interesting; what a wry sense of humor. One thing that struck me was her accent. I knew right away that she was either Canadian or American, but that she was an ex-pat. Not knowing anything about her, or this subject matter, I was really interested in this, also given that this lecture was given some time after 2017. The cadence of her speech is not North American. The way she cuts certain syllables short, and the words that she most often might use with her UK team are said in a North American way, but with English vowels. She still hits her "R"s hard, but sounds quite Irish in how she does it. Her voice is musical in a very English way. Her speech is peppered with British English idioms, and her humor is very understated. I would have thought, from her speech alone, that she was American, but from the North East, but deeply influenced by her time in England. However, she said, at one point, that she's Canadian. There are parts of Canada which sound Irish to me, anyway. Near Labrador and Nova Scotia. I wouldn't have thought she'd be Quebecoise, but I could be wrong. I could happily listen to her teaching any subject. I clicked on this due to interest, but I listened to the whole thing (as opposed to watching it), because I could listen to her all day. I am so glad I found this very interesting lecture, one delivered so seamlessly, and so accessibly.

[@Meine.Postma]

Turi King is a very good talker about her job. Excellent. Watched it again just now

[@victoriakidd-cromis1124]

Well done! I really enjoyed this talk. It was not a boring lecture. Ms King is a dynamic speaker and I hope I can find more of her work on-line.

[@starrysky8177]

Professor King could do a lecture on watching paint dry and it would still be fascinating! What an amazing presenter.

[@virginiasoskin9082]

This is just awesome from an American's point of view. England's history goes back SO, SO far and ours oh, 400 years (of course, Native American history goes back thousands of years...). And we get excited by Plymouth Rock or Williamsburg, where I think every spot in England had something historic happen there at least once. Castle ruins, battlefields like Hastings, WW2 aerodrome landing strips still visible....so much to see and learn. Thanks -- this was amazing. Seeing those nearly matched DNA sequences was just breath-taking and proved beyond doubt it was Richard. the funeral procession and burial, and the fact that Michael Ibsen, his descendant, built Richard's casket is just wonderful. I wonder what Richard would have thought if he could reappear and know this casket was made from a descendant. Very fitting indeed.

[@fascistpedant758]

Excellent content and presentation. Charming and enjoyable. Thank you Turi King.

[@pretzeltime3900]

Absolutely fascinating! So happy that I found this. Can’t wait to watch followups.

[@lesleyrevuelto2285]

What a great lecture and very entertaining. Turi King makes history come alive.

[@AdityaMehendale]

Fantastic storyteller Turi King :) Better than an episode of Sherlock Holmes!

[@darentsimon]

What a fantastic detailed presentation. Exactly what is been looking for after watching some of the documentaries. Thank you Turi.

[@seldakaya0414]

I just watched "The Lost King" with the wonderful Sally Hawkins - a brilliant little film, big recommendation!

[@marycahill546]

Greetings from Canada. I could not make out the accent at first -- starting off North American, then bits of British here and there. Finally an answer -- originally Canadian with many years in Britain!

[@ladyflimflam]

Originally British, raised in Canada and returned for University.

[@amethystanne4586]

This was super interesting! Thank you. I remember hearing the broadcast from a Nashville, Tennessee TV station about the discovery of King Ricard burial beneath a car park, and seeing some of the video footage.

[@shuffleaccount1985]

I so enjoyed this amazing story ! Thank you for sharing everything you went through to get the 500 year old answers

[@crogeny]

Great talk. Thank you for posting this, RI.

[@moranjackson7662]

What a great presentation! Always wondered how you came to the conclusion. Thanks for this entertaining hour!

[@LeesTexan]

This I think is one of the most FANTASTIC historical research I have EVER seen!! She is outstanding in this lecture, loved it !! She is absolutely great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@ccrider3435]

Turi King has dutifully explained history for our future, beautifully.

[@Lunareon]

Fascinating story of archaeological detective work!

[@crsm42]

Thank you Professor King, a very impressive and interesting presentation. A delight to listen to .

[@lisahinton9682]

This was just so very interesting. I loved her talk, and I learned so much. Just wonderful!

[@abbysosl4y224]

I’m American, after watching The Lost King on a Southwest flight, I had so many questions regarding this, which I tried to google and couldn’t find the answers or content I was looking for. That was about a year ago. This video was recommended to me because I’ve been watching Who Do You Think You are. This video had everything I was looking for back then!! Amazingly thorough!

[@martinpattison1567]

I have already watched the search for Ricard III before I watch this lecture. You have filled in some of the gaps that I was thinking about, So thank you very much. Martin. (Thailand)

[@sonia4641]

Great lecture. The story of the discovery is always fascinating, I’ve heard many radio and TV programmes over the years, and Tori is a superb storyteller as well as a top scientist. My 2 related ‘stories’: 1) My mother instilled a love of history in us. She’d attended Alderman Newton Girls School in the 1940s and died a few years before the discovery of Richard. She would have been THRILLED with all aspects of this, and that her old classrooms are now the Richard III Visitor Centre! 2) On the evening of Richard’s funeral in Leicester Cathedral I TRIED to watch the live TV debate between our Prime Minister David Cameron and the Leader of the opposition Ed Milliband. Out of civic duty, I guess. It was so boring that I switched over to the recorded coverage of the funeral earlier that day. It’s a sad indictment of our [then, but it’s no better now] current political discourse that the burial of a lost 500-year-old king should be more engaging ….!

[@johndavis6119]

Excellent lecture. I remember the news reports. Good luck with Jamestown. I’m a descendant of Gov. Giles Brent and his wife Kitemaquuand. I hope there’s remains that haven’t been trampled there.

[@paulnoble8695]

A genuine thank you to all the team that brought this lecture together. Funny, thoughtful and so well presented.

[@charliequach6399]

Thanks for the wonderful background information of this discovery.

[@wktodd]

Wonderful subject , beautifully presented.

[@webbtrekker534]

First hand info is always so good to hear. Thanks.

[@harrisonandrew]

That was an absolutely fascinating talk - made all the more interesting as I went to The University of Leicester. I loved that video.

[@m7627]

I really enjoyed this video and the way both facts and story were presented. Thank you!

[@timothyhayes9724]

Excellent lecture! Lovely to listen to and very engaging

[@mikeklein5184]

A Little Bit of Richard Beside Me on the Train-a little bit long but a great title for an autobiography. ❤️🇨🇦

[@ozigalqld5511]

Beautifully presented. Thank you.

[@alanholck7995]

I have my biology students watch this to learn how a biology can be used, and how science is collaborative.

[@sailorbychoice1]

30:00 Is it possible he was buried covertly and quickly so people wouldn't disturb his grave and throw his body in the river... et al? The stories about his being thrown in the river and all that may have been told to protect the ones who buried him too.

[@kimberlypatton205]

I enjoyed this very much! Plus the extra added genealogical insight! Thank you!

[@kimadams2995]

This was priceless, and very funny. I’m now wondering if the now-dispelled rumour that Richard’s corpse was thrown into the river was a hashed and mangled retelling or mis-hearing of that “prophecy” by the old lady that Richard would have his head knocked on the bridge the way he’d knocked his stirrup on it. Perhaps an attempt at a connection between the death and defeat of Richard, and the river to make the prophecy “fulfilled”. It would make for an improved, more interesting story to find it’s way into the folklore.

[@BeerElf66]

I'm from Leicester and my theory is the legend about the bones in the river was put about by the Monks from the monastery, they were able to suggest the river and make it stick since they owned the land on the side of the river, starting from the place the plaque on the wall is.

[@ChristChickAutistic]

What a great lecture! I have been fascinated with this case for years. Watched Richard's reburial ceremony, it was beautiful and definitely fit for a king. Now I'm interested in the Jamestown project as well, this is the first I've heard of it. I'm pretty sure my OG English ancestor came there in 1610. His name was John Shelton, if anyone has any scrap of info about him. ❤

[@MommyDontSeeMe]

This is a great presentation with scads of detail, carefully presented as to put the whole project in perspective. Turi King really knows how to make it entertaining!

[@mutualbeard]

A story of great interest told with passion and intellect.

[@Mark-Bretlach]

My second time watching this, not sure if I commented before, but this is the most informative, easy on the ear and entertaining presentation of the Richard III discovery) thank you Turi

[@robbie_]

What a great talk. Thanks for sharing.

[@lornaperryman489]

So very interesting and presented in a way that lay persons could also understand the whole of the lecture.

[@jenniferlevine5406]

Wow - wonderful talk. Very interesting to see how it all unfolded.

[@updownstate]

I would have died from happiness to have had this lecture in school. 💌

[@nancyfalcon2796]

So fascinating! Well done presentation.

[@marysylvie2012]

Excellent presentation! Thank you so much!

[@sherryblack7586]

What an excellent speaker and most interesting subject. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[@Seahorse1414]

Absolutely fascinating and very enjoyable from start to finish. Wonderful !

[@DellHell1]

Thanks for that insightful talk.

[@martinaherne7559]

what a lovely lady, and very obviously highly intelligent and knowledgeable, on especially this subject , thank you profesor Turi King for putting every thing into terms that a lad from the netherhall estate leicester, now retired and living in syston could follow,relatively easily. At the time,and still is, a subject that is so interesting and i followed it closely with my grandchildren, being allowed to take a rubbing of the slab,that was where richards grave is now. I also in a capacity of being asked to take an air sample in his original grave site,under the floor in the visitor centre, due to slight cracking appearing,and a green growth forming, so sat early one morning ,on my own, with my kit,and and laptop,with my feet in his final resting place, surreal, if not a little spooky,lol,but to be fair ,slightly honoured at the same time.The issue was easily solvable as air was being drawn in from the car park area outside, but someone had shut the air vents into the visitor area above, not allowing the air to circulate,and escape, easily solved by superglueing them open,so they could not be moved by cleaners, or little visitors getting bored on there visit, lol. enjoyed your presentation enormously, thank you again.

[@Mpower20188]

Awesome, enjoyed this lecture very much.

[@puppy1584]

I watched all this on tv at the time, but sitting here today, I still find totally absorbing. Thank you.🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@theresajerger3335]

Absolutely fascinating! Thank you

[@MercuryIsHg]

A fabulous talk , thank you.

[@andresteelemusic5512]

Wonderful lecture. Fascinating topic. Thank you.

[@nursetazzi]

I've seen several videos about the excavation of Richard III as well as his interment, and this lecture was by far the most interesting. It gives the tiniest details about the search and the testing with a lot of humor, and it was done in a way that it could be understood by anyone listening, not just people with advanced degrees.

[@technoshaman001]

What a wonderful person and entertaining informative lecture, thank you

[@AllanGildea]

Such an excellent speaker. Thank you.

[@maryannchaisson6742]

Thank you so much. That was one of the fascinating lectures I’ve ever heard! Bravo!Bravo! Bravo! 🇨🇦🇨🇦👏👏👏💐🇨🇦🇨🇦

[@judyklein3221]

Fascinating lecture! Lots of information I've never heard before.

[@monjiaitaly]

So interesting, thank you for posting.

[@miriamreiss]

Ask a "Time Team" fan......we have just three days to find a burial.....Open up a trench, and after six hours, well we found some bones...... You can't make that up. If someone would have wrote a book about that beforehand, no one would have bought it. The circumstances itself are hilarious. We are looking for a King, who allegedly murdered his nephews in a car park of a child care department and found him near an "R" that is painted on the tarmac. And even the fact, that one of his living relatives is carpenter who made the coffin to rebury him...... Great job.....from everyone involved.

[@Skarlett00]

An amazing discovery and presentation!

[@michellezevenaar]

This was a great lecture! Really well presented.

[@wambembalubu]

One of the best things i have watched for a long time