Richard III’s remains arrive at Leicester Cathedral ahead of reburial

Richard III’s long-lost remains have arrived at Leicester Cathedral in the UK ahead of the former king’s reburial.

The funeral cortege entered Leicester at the historic Bow Bridge after touring landmarks in the county.

Cannons were fired in a salute to the king at Bosworth, where Richard III died in 1485.

The coffin will be on public view at Leicester Cathedral from 09:00 GMT on Monday, March 23. He will finally be reinterred during a ceremony on March 26.

Richard III’s skeleton was found in 2012, in an old friary beneath a car park.

The former king’s coffin, which is made of English oak from a Duchy of Cornwall plantation, emerged during a ceremony at the University of Leicester.

Archaeologists, academics, researchers and descendants of Richard III’s family, including Michael Ibsen who built the coffin, placed white roses on it during the ceremony.

The reburial procession began at Fenn Lane Farm, believed to be the closest spot to where Richard III was killed.

Campaigners who petitioned for Richard III to be reburied in York have described the events in Leicester as a “pantomime”.

After a service at St Nicholas Church, the coffin was transferred to a horse-drawn hearse before arriving at the cathedral via High Street and Grey Friars.

The public will be able to view the coffin at the cathedral from March 23 to 25 before a reburial service on March 26.

A spokesman for Leicester Cathedral has confirmed that Queen Elizabeth II has written a greeting that will appear in the order of service at the reburial but details of the message’s content will not be released ahead of the event.