The Mystery of the Lost Princes in the Tower

              
    The unsolved mystery that puzzled people for centuries and until now, the disappearance of the two York Princes, Edward V of 12 and Richard of 9 years old. After reading The White Queen by Philippa Gregory, I was curious to know more about it and so i thought i could bring to light some of the interesting reports that were said about this.

    I personally couldn't believe that Elizabeth WoodVille would give away her second son, Richard just like that to her brother-in-law Richard III who took over the throne of England after kidnapping the rightful king Edward V, leaving her in sanctuary.
Still, the princes were regularly seen playing on Green Tower, or taking the air within the walls, but then, around the beginning of June, 1483, they dropped out of sight. Rumors were being said that Richard III already killed but he denied nothing.

    In 1674, the supposed remains of the bodies were unearthed under the staircase of the White Tower's chapel. At that time, the instant assumption was that it belonged to the two princes and based on that, Charles II ordered to rebury the remains in Westminster Abbey. If such a discovery were made recently, a forensic examination along with a DNA test would have been pieced together, indicating whether the skeletons belonged to the two young princes. However, a scientist involved stated that the younger skeleton almost certainly belonged to a child younger than nine, leaving doubts as to whether the skeletons belonged to the princes and that's why, i mean maybe Elizabeth have hidden her younger son somewhere and came back to live with her as Peter (Perkin) , just as Philippa Gregory wrote in her novel. As it was said that in 1491 a young man named Perkin Warbeck claimed that he was Richard, youngest son of Edward IV.

    Ultimately, there is no conclusive evidence about the case but if they were to be murdered, then our first suspect would be Richard III but I think that he dearly loved his brother and supported him and fought loyally for him in wars unlike his brother George but again maybe his ultimate love to take the throne blinded him,  killed the princes to guarantee that no one will act as a threat to him and take the throne of England. Also James Tyrrell, a loyal servant of Richard III who is said to have confessed, under torture, murdering the princes in 1502, certainly acting on Richard's orders.

     Also Henry VII was another suspect although there is no evidence to connect Henry directly with the disappearance of the princes. His claim to the throne was weak, one might say 'nonexistent', if the princes lived, they both had a better claim to the throne. That, in the eyes of many modern historians, makes him a prime suspect. Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, he was the second Lancastrian heir to the throne after Henry and another suspect. Supported Richard, while plotting against him with the Tudors. Maybe he killed the princes by orders of Richard III or to discredit him. Or according to a plan between him and the Tudors. Buckingham may have hoped to accede to the throne himself. His guilt depends on the princes having already been dead by October 1483, as he was executed the following month.

     In 1789 however, workmen doing some repairs in St.George's Chapel, rediscovered and accidentally broke into the vault of  King Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville, discovering in the process what appeared to be a small adjoining vault. This vault was found to contain the coffins of two mysterious, unidentified children. However, no inspection or examination was carried out and the tomb was resealed.

    The thing is that we will never know the truth, that's for sure. Which is sad, I mean I really wanted to know, among all our suspects and reasoning and assumptions, there might be something else, which will be left for the public imagination ofcourse.

xoxo, Mariam