Richard III of England’s spinal deformity was well-known – but a new analysis of his remains suggests he could have successfully concealed it.
The findings are the latest to emerge after his skeleton was found in a car park in Leicester, UK.
The analysis, reported in The Lancet, involved physical and computer-generated replicas of the skeleton of the last Plantagenet king.
Richard III was vilified after losing his throne to the new Tudor dynasty and his deformity added to the legend of an evil king, leaving him with the nickname of Richard Crookback.
The researchers say his right shoulder was little higher than his left but the curve on his spine was "well-balanced" and would not have caused him to limp.
The researchers say his deformity probably emerged after the age of ten.
Researcher Dr Piers Mitchell, of Cambridge University, said: "His trunk would have been short relative to the length of his limbs, and his right shoulder a little higher than the left. However, a good tailor to adjust his clothing and custom-made armour could have minimised the visual impact of this."
And fellow researcher Dr Jo Appleby, from Leicester University, said: "The moderate extent of Richard’s scoliosis is unlikely to have resulted in any impaired tolerance to exercise from reduced lung capacity."
The scoliosis of Richard III, last Plantagenet King of England: diagnosis and clinical significance. Lancet 30 May 2014 [abstract]
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