King Richard III remains found, scientists say

Archaeologists in Britain say they've made an astonishing find. They believe they've uncovered the remains of long-lost royalty. He happens to be King Richard III. Now they're using 21st century techniques to see if it's really him. And Mark Phillips is in London. Mark, good morning. Good morning, Nora. Well, there's been a lot of talk lately about intrusion into the private lives of Britain's royals, but in this case the disturbance goes back centuries. In fact, the royal involved isn't being allowed to rest peacefully This is the story of a long-lost ancient English king who always had a bad press, Richard III. The hunchback, the withered arm, the serial killer, the brutal monster, the ruthless tyrant. Although he is credited with one good line... Ahoy, kingdoms! Shakespeare aside, Richard III has been largely forgotten. Defeated by the man who would become Henry VII, he was killed in battle in the year 1485. Richard was unceremoniously buried in a local churchyard that has since become a parking lot. Archaeologists long suspected that Richard's remains lay somewhere in the neighborhood, but they had two problems. Finding him and proving that what they found was him. With the help of some extras brought in to give the occasion a little showbiz glamour, they found a skeleton that would have been a nice fit in the 1485 season of CSI. A bladed implement appears to have cleaved part of the rear of the skull. Enter into the drama Michael Ibsen, a furniture maker. It turns out King Richard III was his great-great, count up to 16, uncle. The phone rings and someone says, I'm a historian, you're related to Richard III, congratulations. More or less, I think he probably started the conversation by saying, I'm not a lunatic. So Michael, a descendant of Richard III's sister, has provided DNA material. If it matches the skeleton with the hole in its head, that'll be a good clue it's the real thing. Richard III's claim to the throne was always suspect and the royal line has taken many twists and turns since. Well, I've been asked if there are any sort of spare palaces lying around that we might inherit, but I'm not holding my breath on that issue. Michael Ibsen's family had emigrated to Canada. He came back to Britain nearly 30 years ago and has lived a quiet, anonymous life. Now he's expecting invitations to a better class of dinner party. So he's pleased to know that he might be related to Richard? He's intrigued to know he might be related to Richard. Let's put it that way. It's not a great press. Thank you.