Richard III and DNA testing

[davidft]

Interesting, I didn't know it had been decided he had scoliosis. In respect to the hunchback a year or so ago a programme looked at the famous picture of Richard with the hunchback. The painting was x-rayed and it was determined (don't recall exactly how) that the hunch was a later addition and that the original painting showed a much more normal posture (on Channel 4 I think).

[Ruskie]

I was thinking of starting a post on this subject so I'm glad to have found this one.

I also wondered about the Canadian nephew and if he is the only descendant they will test. Surely if there are others, they would test them all? Does anyone know?

Fascinating stuff.

[davidft]

I agree with you it would be silly to test just one supposed relative - afterall can the canadian vouch for the integrity of all his tree - of course he cannot.

As I have now established there are actually a far few male line descendants of Edward III (who would share the same Y-DNA with Richard III) it would be good if they could persuade some of them to be tested.

Perhaps one to watch ......

[Ruskie]

I wait with bated breath for the results. I suspect the answer to the DNA test will be 'inconclusive', which will be a shame - it would be nice to know if the skeleton is Richard III.

[Skoosh]

I'm sure there's another English king under a car-park in Stirling!

Skoosh.

[Lydart]

I also heard on the radio that the skeleton had an arrow head in its back, and the back of its skull broken ....

[davidft]

They had the bloke (Michael Ibsen I think) who they are going to DNA test to compare with the bones on the local news. He was all a bit non plussed and  the announcer wrongly said he is one of Richard III's closest living descendants. He is descended from Richard's sister Anne but there is no indication if this is in a female line, a male line or a mixed line - all of which could have implications for the DNA analysis.

Apparently he is a carpenter, all I can say is he made a complete hash of trying to shave some wood with the plane he had 

[Alexander.]

They had the bloke (Michael Ibsen I think) who they are going to DNA test to compare with the bones on the local news. He was all a bit non plussed and  the announcer wrongly said he is one of Richard III's closest living descendants. He is descended from Richard's sister Anne but there is no indication if this is in a female line, a male line or a mixed line - all of which could have implications for the DNA analysis.

It is his direct female line - otherwise the mitochondrial DNA would not work (and his DNA would be almost no use).

I imagine the Y-DNA test would be more tricky, not only in obtaining the DNA from the skeleton, but also finding willing test subjects (most of whom have titles, baronies, duchies, etc.). Could you imagine if at some point in the future they were told that they had no rights to their title because at just one point in their ancestry someone had been a little...um...unfaithful!

[clearly]

Is there a thread anywhere on Rootschat that explains, in simple terms, what the various DNA tests do and why some are more useful than others? A link to a recommended website would be useful.