The Richard III Society
Promoting research into the life and times of Richard III since 1924
Patron: HRH The Duke of Gloucester KG GCVO
Richard III by Andrew Jamieson,
© Richard III Society.
Welcome to the website of the Richard III Society. We have been working since 1924 to secure a more balanced assessment of the king and to support research into his life and times. The rediscovery of his remains and their re-interment in Leicester Cathedral have raised the king’s profile and provided us with new opportunities to make the case for a reappraisal of his life and role in English history.
In the belief that many features of the traditional accounts of the character and career of Richard III are neither supported by sufficient evidence nor reasonably tenable, the Society aims to promote, in every possible way, research into the life and times of Richard III, and to secure a reassessment of the material relating to this period, and of the role of this monarch in English history.
"… the purpose—and indeed the strength—of the Richard III Society derives from the belief that the truth is more powerful than lies; a faith that even after all these centuries the truth is important. It is proof of our sense of civilised values that something as esoteric and as fragile as reputation is worth campaigning for." Our Patron - the present Richard, Duke of Gloucester. more …
Visit the membership section to learn more about how to join the Society. Membership starts from as little as £12 per year.
The Ricardian is the academic journal of the Richard III Society. Since 2002 it has been published as an annual journal. For more information click here.
Introductory Reading list.
The Society's shop contains books, postcards, prints and much much more. To see what is available to buy please view our catalogue.
The Barton Library contains hundreds of titles, both non-fiction and fiction that are available for members to borrow. For more information click here.
The Society has a Privacy Policy and you can view it here.
We will sometimes send out emails with the latest news, or information about events we think may be of interest to you. Any member wishing to join, or re-join, our mailing list should e-mail our Communications Manager, Amanda Geary. Please note that the mailing list is available to Society members only.
'A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement with the University of Leicester regarding the appropriate use of the images of King Richard’s remains has been obtained. Following a meeting with the University on 29th July 2016 to discuss the use of images, Philippa and I are pleased to announce that the MoU between our two organisations has now been signed and is published here.'
Phil Stone, Society Chairman.
Read full statement.
The Board of Directors of the Richard III Society has now set up the independent inquiry promised in its last statement to members. Following the resignation of three valued Directors, two of whom were new to the Board, having been elected for the first time at the October 2019 AGM, the inquiry will examine the activities of the Executive Committee/Board in the recent past and its conduct of meetings and decision-making processes.
The full statement and more information.
As we enter a new stage in the existence of the Richard III Society, becoming a legally recognised body for the first time as a Company Limited by Guarantee, the Board welcomes this opportunity to review and strengthen the governance of the Society, while regretting the circumstances that have led to it.
The Board of the Richard III Society
11 May 2020
It is with regret that we have to let members know that Matthew Lewis has resigned from the EC/Board and from his role as Education Officer. We want to record our thanks to Matt for his contribution to the work of the EC/Board during his short tenure, especially for the energy and ideas he brought to the role of Education Officer. This resignation resulted from a principled disagreement, which raised some issues also of concern to others. The EC/Board will now work to address and resolve these concerns. We hope that, in the future, Matt may be able to return to a frontline role within the Society. In the meantime, he will continue to contribute in other ways.
We would welcome hearing from members with an educational background who would be interested in taking forward Matt’s work as Education Officer.
The Executive Committee/Board
Following the information in the March Bulletin about the need for all members to re-register their Society membership as we change to a Company Limited by Guarantee, I can now confirm that an explanatory letter and form for re-registration will be sent out to all members in a few days. I would urge everyone to complete and return the form in the pre-paid envelope provided to ensure that your membership continues after September.
Sue Wells
Membership Officer
During these difficult times the Society would like to keep in touch with our members as much as possible. The easiest way we do this on a daily basis is through our various social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). However, we are very aware that not all of our members can access these accounts. For any members who wish to be involved but don't have social media, we are planning to arrange to email anyone who wants us to every few days with some highlights from our social media pages. These are ranging from the lighthearted (we are currently inviting members to send in photos of their Ricardian pets, because we all need something lighthearted right now) to the more serious (a link to information about the glorious stained glass windows at York Minster). If anyone wishes to receive these emails please contact our Communications Manager who will be happy to help.
I have received the following from our Patron’s Private Secretary at Kensington Palace: 'His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester has asked me to convey his best wishes to all your members, staff and volunteers while we enter this unprecedented period of uncertainty and worry. He is very much aware of the concerns that your people will have at the moment as this pandemic develops and would want you to know that you are all very much in his mind'.
With all best wishes to you all. Stay safe and stay well.
Dr P T Stone, Chairman
Everyone will be aware of the present situation relating to the COVID-19 virus and the ever-changing Government restrictions being placed upon us all. Many of us are over 70 and now in some form of purdah or another. This is to let you all know that we will try to keep as much as possible active - The Bulletin and the website especially. Sadly, however, we have had to postpone the Exeter study weekend and most Branches and Groups are cancelling their meetings until further notice. The events in Leicester to commemorate the Fifth Anniversary of King Richard’s Reinterment have been another casualty, of course. I would ask you to remember that members of the Executive Committee as well as Branch and Group organisers are all volunteers and they are all doing their best to stay on top of things in a difficult and rapidly changing situation. I wish you all well and ask you all to stay safe. Let us get rid of this damned disease as quickly as possible so that life may return to normal again.
With the very best of wishes
Dr P T Stone, Chairman
See all What's New items.
Question: What took three years, untold amounts of grit and graft, and produced a glittering result?
Answer: Philippa Langley's quest for the lost grave of Richard III.
Many, including academics and archaeologists – not to mention the media – are still reeling from a success that can only be called stunning!
Philippa Langley next to the grave.
Philippa Langley knew King Richard III had been 'piteously slain' at Bosworth Field. And she knew the Franciscan Friars of Leicester had laid him to rest in a simple grave. But where to look? Was he still there? And would they let her try to find him?
On 25 August 2012 Philippa Langley's quest for the lost grave of Richard III finally came to fruition!
Find out more …
The Looking for Richard team have compiled some frequently asked questions about the project that found King Richard's final resting place in 2012.
Learn more about Philippa’s exciting new research project, and how you can help.
Read the Reburial Diary and Events held by the Society during the historic week in March 2015 and first anniversary in March 2016.
Updated versions of some of John's Powerpoint presentations are available on his web site where you can download them.
We are extremely disappointed that Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council have decided to take the very short-sighted decision to grant permission for Horiba Mira to build on part of the registered battlefield of Bosworth, putting financial concerns above the history and heritage of this country. We will be consulting with our friends and colleagues in the Battlefields Trust over the next few days to decide on our next course of action. In the meantime, we would like to express our gratitude to the many hundreds of people who have supported us in our campaign to save the battlefield. Thank you!
The open letter written to the Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council Planning Committee is available to view here.
Article on the will of Cardinal John Morton
The June issue of the Ricardian Bulletin includes an article by Dr Betty Knott on the will of Cardinal John Morton, based on her transcription and translation of his original Latin will. This article originated from Philippa Langley's The Missing Princes Project.
Space restrictions in the Bulletin meant we were unable to include with the article the full will in both its Latin and English form. However, as we stated in the Bulletin, these are being made available online both here (Latin version and English translation) and on the website of The Missing Princes Project.
The Ricardian Bulletin, the Society’s quarterly members’ magazine, publishes a number of historical articles in each issue. The current selection can be accessed here.
Please visit our 
page.
• 3 - 5 April: Annual Conference in Exeter "The South West during the Wars of the Roses" **Cancelled**
• 22 - 23 August: Bosworth Medieval Festival **Cancelled**
• 3 October: Society AGM and Member's Day - York
• 12 December: Christmas at Fotheringhay
Find out more about events organised by Society Branches and Groups in your local area and beyond.
The list of venues which offer discounted entry rates for holders of a Richard III Society membership card.