King Richard III's Skeleton, England [PHOTOS]: Skeletal Remains of British Royalty Discovered Under Parking Lot in Leicester

Skeletal remains found under a parking lot in Leicester, England, have recently been identified as those of King Richard III. British Scientists announced today that they are convinced "beyond reasonable doubt" that a skeleton found during an archaeological dig last August is that of the former king. Richard III served as King Of England for two years from 1483 until he died at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. This was a decisive battle of the War of the Roses. Described as a child killer that lusted after the throne and succeeded in getting it, his body's whereabouts were shrouded in mystery as time went on and Richard III could only be found in history books. Richard was the last of the House of York and his death brought on the end of the Middle Ages in England. He was the last king to die in battle. William Shakespeare based his play Richard III on the former king.

21st century forensic tactics were used to solve a 500-year-old mystery painted in the scenes of the Shakespeare play. Scientists extracted Mitochondrial DNA from the bones matched it a direct descendant of Richard III's sister, Anne of York. This descendant is Michael Ibsen, a Canadian cabinetmaker. Some supporting evidence comes from other telltale signs and conditions of the king including spinal curvature due to scoliosis and battle wounds on the bones. Other findings, listed on a statement on the University of Leicester's website, include:

• Individual likely to have been killed by one of two fatal injuries to the skull - one possibly from a sword and one possibly from a halberd

• 10 wounds discovered on skeleton - Richard III killed by trauma to the back of the head. Part of the skull sliced off

• Radiocarbon dating reveals individual died in the second half of the 15th or in the early 16th century - consistent with Richard's death in 1485

• Corpse was subjected to 'humiliation injuries' -including a sword through the right buttock

• Individual had unusually slender, almost feminine, build for a man - in keeping with contemporaneous accounts

• No evidence for 'withered arm' -as portrayed by Shakespeare - found

Now a council parking lot, the burial ground of King Richard III was originally the city's Greyfriars friary. A reburial is being set a year from now at the Leicester Cathedral, close to the original burial site. A memorial service will also be held for the former king.