Edward of Middleham

by Peter Hammond

Edward of Middleham, Prince of Wales was the only known legitimate child of Richard III and Anne Neville. He was born in Middleham probably c.1474-1476 since he is recorded as aged seven and a little more in 1483. Little is known of his life before his father’s accession to the throne in the summer of 1483. He did not attend his father’s coronation on 6 July but was made nominal Lord Lieutenant of Ireland on 19 July and created Prince of Wales just over one month later on 24 August, where he may have joined his mother and father on their post coronation progress to the north. In York Edward was installed as Prince of Wales in York Minster in a splendid ceremony, followed by elaborate celebrations in York. He was formally declared heir apparent to the throne in February 1484. Nothing more is known of his life and by about the middle of April 1484 he was dead. Where he was buried is unclear. It was said in the past that it was in Sheriff Hutton church, we now know this was not so but it has been recently suggested on the authority of John Rous, a contemporary chronicler, that he was buried in Middleham, perhaps in the collegiate church rather than the castle. Since Edward was a Prince of Wales when he died it seems likely that might be buried in the Minster at York where his father had plans to erect a college of one hundred priests and possibly be buried himself. However, no contemporary sources in York (Minster and city archive) mention burial there or anywhere else.

Sources:

• The Children of Richard III, by Peter Hammond, 2018
• Edward of Middleham, Prince of Wales by A J Pollard, New DNB
• Richard and Anne’s Dispensation, Marie Barnfield, Ricardian Bulletin, Spring 2006, pp.30-32
• Historia Regnum Angliae by John Rous