The Princes in the Tower: London's Darkest Royal Mystery

In 1674, workers renovating the Tower of London discovered two small skeletons hidden beneath a staircase. Even without modern forensics, everyone knew who they were. Two centuries earlier, 12-year-old Edward V and his 10-year-old brother Richard had been declared illegitimate bastards and locked in the infamous Tower. They were last seen alive in 1483, their small faces disappearing day by day from behind the barred windows until they vanished completely.

The boys' fate became one of history's most haunting mysteries. Their uncle Richard III claimed the throne by destroying their legitimacy, but did he also order their deaths? Or did Henry VII, who needed the princes gone to secure his own weak claim to the crown, have them killed years later? The truth died with them in that fortress, leaving only whispers, accusations, and two small skeletons that may or may not belong to England's lost princes.

This story reveals how royal children became pawns in the brutal War of the Roses, how a secret marriage doomed two boys who had committed no crime, and why the mystery of the Princes in the Tower still captivates us more than 540 years later.

Subscribe to Hometown History for forgotten American and world history stories every week. New episodes release Tuesdays.

Show Notes: In This Episode:

• How workers in 1674 discovered two child skeletons hidden in the Tower of London
• The brutal power struggle after King Edward IV's sudden death in 1483
• Why 12-year-old King Edward V and his brother were declared illegitimate bastards
• The chilling eyewitness account of the princes slowly disappearing from view
• Two prime suspects in history's most famous royal murder mystery
• Why the bones found centuries later might not be the princes at all

Key Figures:

• Edward V - 12-year-old boy king who never got to rule
• Richard, Duke of York - 10-year-old prince and Edward's younger brother
• Richard III (Duke of Gloucester) - The boys' uncle who seized the throne
• Elizabeth Woodville - The boys' mother, deemed an unsuitable queen
• Henry VII - Tudor king with his own motive to make the princes disappear

Timeline:

• April 9, 1483: King Edward IV dies unexpectedly, leaving two young sons
• April 30, 1483: Duke of Gloucester arrests the boys' uncle, triggering a coup
• June 1483: Both princes imprisoned in Tower of London
• July 6, 1483: Richard III crowned king after declaring nephews illegitimate
• Summer 1483: Princes gradually disappear from public view, never seen again
• 1485: Richard III killed in battle; Henry VII becomes king
• 1674: Two child skeletons discovered hidden in Tower of London staircase

Tags: Princes in the Tower, Tower of London, London history, 1483, Edward V, Richard Duke of York, Richard III, royal murder mystery, War of the Roses, medieval history, English history, unsolved mystery, true story, forgotten history, royal history, 15th century England, British monarchy

Category: History

Chapter Markers: 0:00 - Introduction: Skeletons Beneath the Staircase 2:30 - The War of the Roses and Edward IV's Reign 5:00 - A King Dies and Two Boys Become Vulnerable 8:00 - The Duke of Gloucester's Coup and the Tower Prison 11:30 - Declared Bastards: The Sermon That Changed Everything 14:30 - The Princes Disappear Behind Barred Windows 17:00 - Richard III's Downfall and Two Prime Suspects 19:30 - The Mystery That Endures 540 Years Later

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/hometownhistory/exclusive-content

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy