King Richard III's face revealed after 500 years

Dan Kitwood / Getty Images

A facial reconstruction based on the skull of King Richard III is unveiled by the Richard III Society, in London on Feb. 5, 2013.

The face of England's King Richard III was revealed for the first time in more than 500 years on Tuesday following a reconstruction based on a skull unearthed from a parking lot in the city of Leicester.

After carrying out a series of scientific investigations on bones exhumed from the site last year, the University of Leicester announced on Monday that the remains belonged to Richard III, who died in battle in 1485.

Justin Tallis / AFP - Getty Images

Michael Ibsen, a descendant of England's King Richard III, poses for pictures with a plastic model made from the recently discovered skull of the king, during a press conference in London on Feb. 5, 2013.

As detailed by NBC News Science Editor Alan Boyle, DNA was extracted from bone samples and compared with modern-day mitochondrial DNA from two direct descendants of Richard III's family, including Michael Ibsen, a Canadian-born cabinetmaker who is a 17th-generation descendant of Richard III's eldest sister, Anne of York.

The skeleton's relatively delicate structure was consistent with descriptions of Richard III's physical appearance, University of Leicester historian Lin Foxhall said. 

The bones of Richard III, who reigned for two years, have been discovered in Leicester, England, and they indicate that his spine was twisted by scoliosis and that he received eight head wounds in battle. NBC's Stephanie Gosk reports.

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More Boring Unimportant White People. From the DOG @!$%# EMPIRE We CAll ENGLAND !! When the seas rise England will be another ATLANTIS !! HUR AHHHH !!!!

    Reply#203 - Wed Feb 6, 2013 1:28 AM EST

    Fascinating! They paved paradise & put up a parking lot.

      Reply#204 - Wed Feb 6, 2013 2:41 AM EST

      I see more of a resemblence to Quentin Tarintino than Mr. Ibsen.

        Reply#205 - Wed Feb 6, 2013 3:03 AM EST

        Total BS. Some twit looked at a bunch of old paintings and decided this is what this guy looked like. End of story.

          Reply#206 - Wed Feb 6, 2013 6:28 AM EST

          Obviously the facial reconstruction artist was a big fan of Joan Rivers....

            Reply#207 - Wed Feb 6, 2013 9:04 AM EST

            Although the article clarifies that Mr. Ibsen is a descendant of Richard's sister, the caption to one of the pictures says, "Michael Ibsen, a descendant of England's King Richard III..." That is incorrect. None of Richard's 3 known children had issue.

              Reply#208 - Wed Feb 6, 2013 9:13 AM EST

              Jolly good show!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not a bad looking sort of chap.........face doesn't go along with his reputation!!

                Reply#209 - Wed Feb 6, 2013 9:52 AM EST

                He kind of looks like the little king from Shrek.

                  Reply#210 - Wed Feb 6, 2013 10:38 AM EST

                  Okay, I will try again....there is much resemblance with his descedant...look at a painting done on Richard, and you will see how much these two look alike. No, his hair was not black. It was auburn like...the cheeks are different in the sculpture as well.

                    Reply#211 - Wed Feb 6, 2013 11:03 AM EST

                    Lord Farquaad from Shrek!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                      Reply#212 - Wed Feb 6, 2013 11:15 AM EST

                      Looks like Jimmy Hoffa to me!

                      • 1 vote
                      Reply#213 - Wed Feb 6, 2013 11:18 AM EST

                      What ever happened to leaving someone's body in his final resting place. Just saying. I don't care who it is. I hope who ever they dug up get real angry and haunts them so they learn a hard lesson. I would not want my relatives dug up for research.

                        #213.1 - Wed Feb 6, 2013 12:56 PM EST
                        Reply

                        As respect for anyone, our entitlement world seems to hide behind behind the freedom of speech code. I find it the most disrespectful thing you can do. Just as I do having no respect for your parents. With the new social media that is able to be sent in a split second, people don't think, and people are ignorant. Whether you like our president or not, he is our President. A job I would not want. Don't make judgement because you have no idea what pressure he endures on a daily basis. I respected every president whether I voted for them or not, even if I didn't agree with what they were doing. He doesn't make the decisions himself. As you know, he has to have congress ok his decisions, and if they don't it has to be argured out until comprimished.

                          Reply#214 - Wed Feb 6, 2013 12:53 PM EST

                          it's jimmy hoffa.

                          judge crater?

                          much of the bad mouthing of richard III comes from the Tudors. not a very righteous group either.

                          • 1 vote
                          Reply#215 - Wed Feb 6, 2013 12:54 PM EST

                          The Michael Myers of the 15th century! ACK!

                            Reply#216 - Wed Feb 6, 2013 3:36 PM EST

                            It appears so many people cannot distinguish Shakespeare's works of fiction from actual fact. Which is not surprising given how many people think Dan Brown's books are actually factual.

                            The truth probably is that no one will know the "facts" about Richard III (who died over 500 years ago). Just compare what More wrote for the Tudors (who took the throne from him and had no incentive to portray him fairly) and Walpole's history written several hundred years later when he didn't have a king ready to execute him if he wrote something controversial (the Tudor line had died off and the English gov't was much different).

                              Reply#217 - Wed Feb 6, 2013 7:37 PM EST

                              lol

                                Reply#218 - Wed Feb 6, 2013 8:15 PM EST

                                It is unlikely that the last Plantagenet ruler, Richard III, would be treated with anything but disdain, lies and innuendo by the victorious Tudor King Henry VII! Still, I enjoy reading Shakespeare's Richard III (At my age, it's a new work each time I read it!) I'm glad they found the old boy. There is a story that Henry had the monastery destroyed, Where Richard was buried, (sans ceremony) dumping Richard's remains in the river and using his coffin for a livestock watering trough? Obviously, the river dump was untrue.

                                • 1 vote
                                Reply#219 - Wed Feb 6, 2013 8:18 PM EST

                                I don't know British history but the article makes for an interesting conclusion regarding possible incest. The caption says the Canadian gentleman is a descendant but the article goes on to say that he descended from "Richard's eldest sister Anne of York". So unless they MEANT daughter, or he descended from both, he is not a descendant.

                                  Reply#220 - Wed Feb 6, 2013 9:24 PM EST

                                  This is fascinating stuff. And if the Brits are convinced that they've found Richard III, then so am I. Yet another exciting discovery to be displayed by one of their excellent museums. The UK is so rich in historic treasures and now we have yet another to look at the next time we go there.

                                  • 1 vote
                                  Reply#221 - Thu Feb 7, 2013 4:40 PM EST

                                  lol looks like a steal from shrek the movie

                                  • 1 vote
                                  Reply#222 - Sun Feb 17, 2013 4:32 PM EST

                                  Now that you have found a person of your concern that you would like to see the face figure then i'd like to see mine now; not mine but the people I want to see!

                                  • 1 vote
                                  Reply#223 - Sun Feb 17, 2013 4:33 PM EST

                                  He looks like the little king in Shrek.

                                    Reply#224 - Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:59 PM EST
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