Fifty Things You Need To Know About British History. Hugh Williams

of the princes in the tower is one of the most famous mysteries of British history. The two princes were the sons of Edward IV. When he died in 1483, his elder son was proclaimed Edward V and the younger became Duke of York. Their uncle, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, was made Protector. As the new King made his way to London, he was met by Richard who lodged him in the tower in order, he said, to protect him. He was joined there by his brother a while later. The two boys were never seen again. It is generally believed that Richard, who declared the boys’ claim to the throne illegitimate and made himself King in their place, was their murderer. There is no absolute evidence for this. In 1951, the writer Josephine Tey wrote a novel called The Daughter of Time