News

The Lost King – Found

Happy birthday, King Richard III!

The 570th birthday of the King of England is a cause to celebrate and Philippa Langley, well known on our website, gave him a wonderful birthday present, a film about his difficult discovery and rescue from certain desctruction.

Trailer to “The Lost King” about Philippa Langley’s difficult way to the sensational discovery of King Richard III

For a long while, I have kept silent about the upcoming film, as I have been overly busy lately. But also, because some of the reports and discussions about it just were not noteworthy – and that includes articles from some of the main newspapers. Big does not necessarily mean quality. And that also is the result of this whole discovery about King Richard III.
But other news just activated my gag reflex. The whole absurdity mirrored in a myriade of Google alerts about the discussion, if Richard III on stage now should only be played by handicapped actors, did not help me get through the plethora of nonsensical news-alerts. Whyever they are called ‘actors’ and not ‘be-ers’ must have been an error in naming the profession. Or do I have to presume now, that criminals in films now actually need to be … -Well, they might be and we just don’t know yet. Perhaps Richard Armitage could clarify that once in a while? No pressure, just right out curiosity of how such an absurd discussion could go on for so long and over so many annoying articles, that they fill my e-mail accounts to the brim ;o)

Regarding “The Lost King”, various articles show that the established institutions now feel left out and not cherished enough by this film. But seeing the struggles Philippa Langley had to overcome, to get them on board to bring in their expertise and how difficult it was to aggregate enough backing and sponsoring, to get them to work at all and not discourage her in her efforts, deserves more appreciation than just one film.

She is certainly in our hall of fame here on our website together with Dr. John Ashdown-Hill!

For a change, the following article in “History Extra” for once shows the struggles of Philippa Langley, though it only mentions a small part of the long ordeal she had to go through, to follow her mission to find King Richard III:

Rediscovering Richard III: the story of identifying a lost king” by Mike Pitts (History Extra, 30.09.2022, Published before in “BBC History Magazine”, issue October 2022).

As a further information, I found this interview about the making of “The Lost King” with director Stephen Frears and co-star and -writer Steve Coogan:

The Lost King: Stephen Frears & Steve Coogan on Making Their Wild True Story

The screening in cinemas should begin on October 7th, 2022, so keep a look out for an opportunity to watch the film in your area.

Unfortunately, I am in an area where I have no idea when and how I will be able to get hold of the film and see it for myself any time soon.

So for now, I can only wish you lots of enjoyment with the film and hope it will be easily available and accessible where you are.


Further noteworthy links:

News – New Film About the Search for King Richard III

British actor, comedian, writer and producer Steve Coogan just confirmed to the BBC (04.09.2020), that a film about the ‘Search for King Richard III’ will start filming in the year 2021.

Mr. Coogan also revealed, that he will be playing Philippa Langley‘s husband in the planned film.

Ms. Philippa Langley’s role for the discovery of King Richard III in the former church ground in Leicester together with the research done by Dr. John Ashdown Hill (†) was essential for the discovery, which for so long had been deemed impossible. Their persistence and research had made this ground-breaking discovery possible.

And so I am very happy that a film is now planned to show their long and exhausting efforts and hard way to this phenomenal success.

Congratulations, Philippa Langley !

To Hear the Dead King Speak …

 

Hearing someone speak who no longer is alive, normally is a hard thing to achieve and necessitates special esoteric and transcendental abilities of a medium.

But with King Richard III, this could be made possible for everyone of us and we won’t even need special abilities to connect with the otherworld. No, nothing like that.

 

A group of researchers and specialists might make it possible for us to hear an authentic reconstruction of King Richard III’s voice.

 

The research takes into account what words the dead king used in his writing, but also from the reconstruction of his skeleton and facial reconstruction, how his larynx would have built his sounds and his facial muscles have formed the vowels and consonants. This way, the most likely reconstruction of the king’s voice will be rebuilt and made audible.

 

The finding of the king’s bones now might help to not only re-create his history, but also be able to give him back his own voice. Something so many think Shakespeare took away from King Richard III by reducing him to an unrecognizable, though most famous villain.

 

But what abilities are necessary, to reconstrue something that is already gone and thought forever lost?

  • The choice of words – Through King Richard III own writing and handwritten comments and annotations in his own library of books
  •  

  • The dialect and historic pronunciation – through linguistic research into the regionalism and change of language usage over time
  •  

  • The articulation – by reconstruing his throat, cheeks, lips and mouth to re-create his linguistic organs. But also his lungs and body size play a role in the acoustics and resonance of a human body.

Kudos to this project. It is an ambitious endeavor, as so many techniques and expertises are necessary, to create already believed lost sound.

 

Having already been closely following the reconstruction of a dead man’s voice before, I am really looking forward to the execution of this project “A Voice for Richard”.

 

(I don’t know if many of you remember the earlier endeavor I refer to: The re-creation of the voice of one of the most famous singers in the 18th century, Farinelli, who even in old age, had a significant influence on Mozart and his music. The voice was re-created by overlaying the voices of a tenor/countertenor and an alto-singer, who were modulated in a very specific way to create a singular hearing experience. The results can be heard in the film about this singer “Farinelli” (1994).)

 

Let King Richard III speak for himself!

 

To find out more about this project and to potentially support it, here come more details for you:

 

Address: A Voice for Richard
28, Hanworth Road
Hampton
Middlesex.
TW12 3DL
U.K.

Website: https://yourvoicebox.co.uk/a-voice-for-richard/

Contact: E-mail: yvonne@yourvoicebox.co.uk
Tel.: +44 (0)7714661939

 

The “A Voice for Richard” project has a fundraising event coming up in York soon. We will let you know about it in a separate post with more details.

 

A Great Historian Died – Dr. John Ashdown-Hill

 
 
Though being quiet for so long on this website, the news I today found, just needs to be posted here, on the website he so greatly supported.
 

 

Dr. John Ashdown-Hill

 
 
the historian behind the finding of King Richard III in Leicester, died on 18 May 2018. (BBC News here.)
 
It was his persistence and meticulous research of the times after King Richard III was buried in Leicester, that convinced him that the king’s remains still could be found, though many historians for centuries believed otherwise.
 
It is due to his research, which he maintained against severe opposition and accusations, that lead to the sensational discovery in Leicester.
It was this persistence and conviction and his honour and work-ethics, that fascinated me about the man and historian Dr. Ashdown-Hill, whom I never personally met, but had the honour to talk to on the phone and do an interview with.
 
So it is very sad news for me and for the KingRichardArmitage website, who he kindly supported with interviews and a multitude of valuable information. Just see the various posts and articles we have here on this website: Dr. John Ashdown-Hill – News & Interviews
 
And a great loss for unbiassed historical research.
 
I want to end with a text I wrote about Dr. Ashdown-Hill during KRA-Week in August 2013, though now it reads like an eulogy. Not all of my hopes mentioned in that article were realised, especially the museum-part. But nonetheless, Dr. Ashdown-Hill would deserve a hall of fame!
 
His fame certainly is not forgotten here on the KRA website!
 
 
Thank you, Dr. Ashdown-Hill!
 
 

 
 

Richard III on Mr. Armitage’s Bucket List

 
 
Richard Armitage was interviewed by The Broadway Channel – “Love, Love, Love’s Richard Armitage on Dancing Like a Teenager Backstage, His Royal Bucket List Role & More” (01.12.2016) about his role as Kenneth in the play “Love, Love, Love”.
 
Part relevant for King Richard III, transcribed from the video accompanying the interview article:
 
What role is on your acting bucket list?

Yeah, there is a role on my bucket list. It has been there for a long time, actually. I’d like to play Richard III in some context, whether that’s the Shakespearean version or another version. I was born on the day that he died and I was named after him, so I feel like I have to […] get into his head, or something.

 

 
Video by: The Broadway Channel, 01.12.2016
Produced by: Lisa Spychala
Photographer: Emilio Madrid-Kuser
Shot & Edited: Nick Shakra
Graphics: Tony Mendoza
 
 

Safer King-A … Adoration

 
 
No risk, no fun? – Not with the KRA website !
 

We are safe and have fun !

 
From now on, our adoration for King Richard Armitage gets even the more safe.
The whole website today was transfered to SSL encryption and allows safer surfing.
 
P.S.
That does not affect links you might have already put on your own website or bookmarked somewhere, as all previous links are forwarded to the new safe ones.
 
 
Thank you for your loyalty and continued support !!!
 
Best wishes,
CDoart
 
 

Petition to Coffining Richard III in a Religious Environment

 
Media and the ‘fact behind fiction’ are entirely topics on their own…
 
So, no further comment about what they currently make out of this new petition, but rather, what this new petition by the initiators of ‘Looking for Richard‘ really is about:
(I must admit, from the media reports about it, I really had difficulties making it out.)
 
That the team which initiated and persisted in the search for King Richard III cares about King Richard III, can be taken without doubt. That they want to assure his dignity and honourable treatment, is the main factor defining each step of their search, but also is the essence behind this new petition:
 
 
Petition to coffin King Richard III in a holy place
(open worldwide via change.org)
 
 
Contrary to the original agreement about the treatment of the remains of King Richard III, his bones have not been sent to rest in a church, awaiting his burial ceremonies.
The reasons of the University of Leicester for this are manifold, among those are, preserving (correct temperature, water level, etc.), security (against possible fanatics), transportation to the location, hindering of further research access, …
 
So King Richard III at the moment is stored in a scientific vault, like a research specimen, which for the University of Leicester he certainly is.
 
But besides having been King of England once, King Richard III also is a human being, for which certain treatment standards should be in place to ascertain his human dignity.
One of these standards, the ‘Looking for Richard’ team tries to insist upon with this new petition:
 
Giving King Richard a holy and not a scientific environment for being placed in his coffin.
 
From what the media makes out of this request and petition, you would think, the ‘Looking for Richard’ team wants to overthrow all the planning and work from either Leicester Cathedral and the University of Leicester for the burial ceremonies. Some even make me believe, a new war between religions is imminent.
 
Far from it !
 
The supporters of this petition come from all religious and none-religious backgrounds worldwide and have the one thing in common:
 
They are concerned about the scientific treatment of a human being, which sets a very utilitarian precedent of how to treat human remains where the scientific interest dominates and subjugates every other consideration.
 
This coffining in a holy place would give the found bones a ‘human dignity’ back and would assure that King Richard III is not only seen as a scientific curiosity, but also as a very religious man and human being.
It also would uphold consent for a treatment of human remains, not only of kings, but human beings in general, which researchers seem so easily to forget that King Richard III after all still is.
 
 
In this regard, think about how you would like to be treated and for once see King Richard III not as a spectacular historical oddity, but as a human being, and take action regarding this new petition as you see fit:
 
Petition to coffin King Richard III in a holy place
(open worldwide via change.org)
 
The petition will close at midnight (GMT) on Tuesday 24 February 2015. The results will be handed over to the re-interment board in Leicester.
More information and details about the ‘Looking for Richard’ team and new petition on the Looking for Richard website.
 

100 Days Till King Richard III’s Reburial

 
From today on there are only 100 days left till the reburial of King Richard III in Leicester Cathedral.
If you want to join the cermony, Leicester Cathedral starts a ballot procedure, to select participants for the ceremony. The procedure of ‘ballot’ was selected to find a fair way to chose among the many interested in the ceremony worldwide.
 
The ballot procedure starts at 8 a.m. [GMT] and is open till 31st December 2014 (12 a.m./noon).
The online access can be reached via this form provided by Leicester Cathedral on their website:
 
leicestercathedral.org/ballot
 
The places offered via the ballot are for the

  • Reception service on Sunday 22 March
  • the Reinterment service on Thursday 26 March and
  • the Tomb Reveal service on Friday 27 March.

(Winners will be notified about 30 days after the ballot closes, so at the end of January 2015.)
 
Good luck and all the best wishes !
CDoart
 

Richard Armitage about the King

 
Richard Armitage mentions King Richard III and a new Channel 4 documentary about the king, coming out next year, in the new interview:
 
Sunday Times interview with Richard Armitage by Ed Potton (28.11.2014)
(Quote from the RichardArmitageUS-FacebookPage.)
 

[…] He’s [Richard Armitage] always been drawn to conflicted roles: Oakenshield, Proctor, Lucas North, his double (triple?) agent in Spooks. “I know,” he smiles. “I need to do some comedy, don’t I?” He doesn’t mean it, though: he knows he’s best at playing men who combine light and shade. That may go back again to Richard III, with whom he inherited an obsession from his father. Armitage was set to be called Russell until he was born on the anniversary of Richard’s death at the Battle of Bosworth. His dad took that as a sign: he was instead named Richard.
 
When the King’s remains were recently discovered under a car park in Leicester, down the road from where Armitage grew up, he was thrilled. He hopes to be involved in a documentary about it for Channel 4 next year. How about playing him? He’s not hopeful: “He was a young man when he died.” Don’t believe that one, either: Armitage could make a splendid crookback. Imagine the mixtape for that one. […]

 
 

The Date is Set – 26 March 2015

 
The date for the intended reinterment of King Richard III in Leicester Cathedral is set:
 

Thursday, 26th of March 2015

 

Planned Schedule:

  • 22 March 2015 (Sunday)
    University of Leicester will transfer King Richard III’s remains into a lead-lined coffin,
    and will travel from Leicester to Bosworth on a remembrance journey.
    In the evening, King Richard III’s remains will be given into the care of Leicester Cathedral,
    and a church service of reception will be held.
  •  

  • 23 – 25 March 2015
    King Richard III’s remains will lie in repose in Leicester Cathedral.
  •  

  • 26 March 2015
    King Richard III will be re-buried in the morning.
  •  

  • 27 – 28 March 2014
    Revealing of the tomb and service to mark the completion of the reinterment.

 
Attendance at the Cathedral services will be by invitation of the Dean of Leicester, David Monteith.
The reinterment service will be broadcasted live on TV by Channel 4 (Editor John Hays), and will also cover the week’s events, with interviews and presentations of the leading participants in the search and discovery.
 
His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, current successor of King Richard III in the title as Duke of Gloucester, is to be the Patron of the Leicester Cathedral’s King Richard III Appeal, trying to cover the financial requirements of this ceremony and accompanying events.
 

More information on the website of Leicester Cathedral:

(Soon will be updated with planned schedule.)
www.kingrichardinleicester.com
 
 

Petition - Status !

As of July
22nd 2022, 6 p.m. (CET)
we have 2482 signatures.

Go to sign...

 


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KRA NewsStream


January 23, 2022

Royal Family: The deadly sickness that killed Henry VIII’s brother and thousands of others before vanishing without a trace (by Bea Isaacson, MyLondon.news)


January 8, 2022

Can new evidence clear the name of Richard III? (by Chris Lloyd, Darlington & Stockton Times)


December 29, 2021

Did Richard III actually save the boy king he’s accused of killing? (by Lydia Starbuck, Royal Central)


April 23, 2021

Steve Coogan movie The Lost King begins filming (by Comedy.co.uk, British Comedy Guide)


January 31, 2021

Barnard Castle boars date back to King Richard III (by Andrew White, The Northern Echo)


January 12, 2021

Alternate history: what if Richard III had won at Bosworth? – Professor Emeritus Michael Hicks interviewed by Jonny Wilkes (by Jonny Wilkes, Professor Emeritus Michael Hicks, BBC History Revealed)


September 11, 2020

Steve Coogan and Stephen Frears to collaborate on The Lost King (Film-News.co.uk)


April 9, 2020

Steve Coogan confirms Richard III movie ‘next year’ (by BBC East Midlands, BBC.com)


November 1, 2019

Richard III and the Battle of Bosworth – By Mike Ingram (HeritageDaily)


October 8, 2019

Painted as a villain – how the Tudors regarded Richard III (by Christina J. Faraday, APOLLO.The International Art Magazine)


 

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