The skeleton found in the resting place of Richard III has been confirmed as belonging to the king - but scientists are holding the news back for greater publicity, it has been claimed.
The human remains were uncovered in September in what is now the car park of Leicester City Council’s social services department.
Since then, a number of tests have been taking place to determine if the bones belong to the Plantagenet king, including DNA tests.
But, according to The Daily Telegraph, even if long-awaited DNA results prove inconclusive, the archeologists will still announce that the remains belong to Richard III.
A source, who has knowledge of the excavation, told the newspaper that additional evidence which was not revealed at a press conference following the discovery of the remains demonstrates beyond doubt that the skeleton is Richard III.
Another source said that new evidence will not be revealed until a Channel Four documentary is shown in January. It is believed a number of people working on the project have become frustrated that emerging evidence has not been revealed to the public.
'Unfortunately, an awful lot of stuff is being kept from the public', the source told the newspaper.
The body in the car park has an arrow in its back – matching Richard’s death at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.
It also has scoliosis – severe curvature of the spine – tying in with the famous description by Shakespeare and others of the monarch as a hunchback.
However, at the time, those working on the project said this was not enough to prove that the skeleton was Richard.
A spokesman for Leicester University said no information had been withheld from the public. However, he said new evidence which has been gathered since then will be announced next month.
The spokesman said: 'There will be things that have been discovered during the course of the investigation that will be announced at the press conference, but everything we were willing to reveal and that we were sure of, we revealed (in September).'
The new evidence will include the results of radiocarbon dating tests - which will show when the person died within a period of 80 years, as well as tartar analysis from the teeth.
The university said it had no knowledge of any information which was being withheld for the documentary.
Once it is confirmed that the body is Richard III, it is believed the remains will be buried inside Leicester Cathedral - more than 500 years after he was killed in battle.
The decision, made by the Ministry of Justice, came after rows between MPs as to where Richard – the last English monarch to die in battle – should be laid to rest.
Some said he should be given a state burial in Westminster Abbey because he was a reigning monarch.
Others said the remains should be buried in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, the centre of the Plantagenet monarch’s kingdom.
But in a parliamentary answer, the Government settled for Leicester Cathedral, a stone’s throw from the car park.
Jon Ashworth, Labour MP for Leicester South, said: ‘This is really good news.
'Richard III has been lying in Leicester for 500 years – it seems only appropriate that he should be buried in Leicester.
'It will be a boost for tourism to the city.’
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