Richard III? (ctd.)
February 10 2013
Picture: BBC
A reader alerts me to the various petitions on the Downing St website over where Richard III's remains should be buried. At the time of writing, York is ahead of Leicester by 18,177 votes to 6,810. My favourite petition, however, is one headed:
RICHARD III SHOULD BE REINTERRED AT ARUNDEL R.C. CATHEDRAL. READ THIS AND SEE IF YOU CAN DENY.
It has just two votes, so far.
I favour York. But as I wrote last week, I still don't think we have enough proof to bury this body with full veneration and identification as Richard III. Before we take such a significant step, we must be 100% sure it's him. The University of Leicester's website information on the crucial DNA analysis remains woefully thin, and academically embarrassing. The more I find out about the DNA process used, the more I learn that it is far from conclusive. It may even prove nothing at all. So if I was to petition the Prime Minister on Richard's remains, it would be to ask: can we please not rush into this?
