This petition was submitted during the 2017-2019 parliament
Rejected petition Excavate the remains of the Princes in the Tower for archaeological examination
By excavating the alleged remains of Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury from Westminster Abbey, and subjecting them to scientific examination, we will be able to confirm whether they are the Princes' remains, and if this suggests that Richard III did, or did not, have them murdered.
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A genetic descendant of the Princes has now been found, thanks to the efforts of Dr John Ashdown-Hill, meaning DNA matching can be achieved.
Modern archaeological methods are much more advanced since the remains' last examination nearly 90 years ago.
Academics have also shown interest, with Turi King of Leicester University stating she could extract DNA from the remains.
For the sake of historic discovery, and the legacy of Richard III, it is only right that this research be conducted.
This petition was rejected
Why was this petition rejected?
It’s about something that the UK Government or Parliament is not directly responsible for.
The UK Government or Parliament are not responsible for DNA testing or exhuming human remains at Westminster Abbey. Westminster Abbey is a Royal Peculiar and thus responsible only to Her Majesty The Queen.
Requests to exhume and/or DNA test the bodies in the sarcophagus in the Lady Chapel of the Abbey, which are believed to be those of Edward V and his younger brother Richard, have always been rejected after consultation with representatives of The Queen.
You can find more information about the remains believed to be Edward V and his younger brother, Richard, here: http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-history/royals/edward-v
You can find out more about how to contact The Queen here: https://www.royal.uk/contact
We only reject petitions that don’t meet the petition standards.