royal tombs

It was Dean Stanley who visited the tombs during his tenure at Westminster Abbey in 1867. Apparently he moved the tombs and descended down steps underneath the monuments during the midnight hours where he found lead coffins piled upon each other; some of adults, some children. Amongst those were the coffins of Henry, Prince of Wales, Elizabeth of Bohemia and a her son, Rupert of the Rhine. Also there were Mary, Queen of Scots and Arbella Stuart.

As to the tomb where the alleged "Princes from the Tower" are interred, the Queen refuses to give permission for them to be examined as she believes them to be her ancestors. The connection, if true, is very tenuous as the link comes through Margaret Tudor. I have often thought that it might be worth trying to find a DNA link from one of Henry VIII's illegitimate children as he had about eight; it might be possible to find someone willing to allow an exhumation for a DNA analysis.
Elaine

Very good post, but "ancestor"? I think you mean collateral ancestor.

--- In , "ellrosa1452" <kathryn198@...> wrote:
>
> It was Dean Stanley who visited the tombs during his tenure at Westminster Abbey in 1867. Apparently he moved the tombs and descended down steps underneath the monuments during the midnight hours where he found lead coffins piled upon each other; some of adults, some children. Amongst those were the coffins of Henry, Prince of Wales, Elizabeth of Bohemia and a her son, Rupert of the Rhine. Also there were Mary, Queen of Scots and Arbella Stuart.
>
> As to the tomb where the alleged "Princes from the Tower" are interred, the Queen refuses to give permission for them to be examined as she believes them to be her ancestors. The connection, if true, is very tenuous as the link comes through Margaret Tudor. I have often thought that it might be worth trying to find a DNA link from one of Henry VIII's illegitimate children as he had about eight; it might be possible to find someone willing to allow an exhumation for a DNA analysis.
> Elaine
>

In view of the way the pharaohs have been examined, I think a DNA test on the alleged princes in the Tower would be highly desirable. But even if proved to be the lads, it's still likely that Buckingham: the most untrue creature living,' will rank as a suspect for doing away with them so to leave Richard III's reputation tarnished, even more than it was in the eyes of the Woodvilles, Tudor and others. Some historians ask why Richard didn't blame Buckingham if he was responsible? Maybe he thought no-one would believe him and, in any case, he'd been responsible for their deposition.

I've a book on the deceased laid to rest in Westminster Abbey, but the location of Anne Neville, Richard III's wife is missing. Maybe Henry VII had it trashed when he had his chapel built, which was intended for Henry VI, but which became Henry VII's when he popped his clogs?

A bizarre `burial' I came across was for James II J (14 October 1633 – 16 September 1701.) His body was not actually buried, but remained in a coffin for a transfer to Westminster Abbey that never happened. His brain went the Scots College in Paris, his heart to the Convent of the Visitandine Nuns at Chaillot, and his bowels to the English Church of St. Omer and the parish church of St. Germain-en-Laye. All the body parts were lost during the French Revolution except the praecordia which as rediscovered in 1824 at the parish church of St. Germain-en-Laye, where it still remains.


--- In , "stephenmlark" <stephenmlark@...> wrote:
>
> Very good post, but "ancestor"? I think you mean collateral ancestor.
>
> --- In , "ellrosa1452" <kathryn198@> wrote:
> >
> > It was Dean Stanley who visited the tombs during his tenure at Westminster Abbey in 1867. Apparently he moved the tombs and descended down steps underneath the monuments during the midnight hours where he found lead coffins piled upon each other; some of adults, some children. Amongst those were the coffins of Henry, Prince of Wales, Elizabeth of Bohemia and a her son, Rupert of the Rhine. Also there were Mary, Queen of Scots and Arbella Stuart.
> >
> > As to the tomb where the alleged "Princes from the Tower" are interred, the Queen refuses to give permission for them to be examined as she believes them to be her ancestors. The connection, if true, is very tenuous as the link comes through Margaret Tudor. I have often thought that it might be worth trying to find a DNA link from one of Henry VIII's illegitimate children as he had about eight; it might be possible to find someone willing to allow an exhumation for a DNA analysis.
> > Elaine
> >
>

Yes I did mean that, thanks for clarifying it.
Elaine