The ghosts of the two princes in the tower, often referred to as the Princes in the Tower, are a mysterious and tragic part of English history. The story begins with the death of King Edward IV in 1483, which set in motion a series of events that led to the disappearance of his two young nephews, Edward V and Richard, Duke of York.

After King Edward IV’s death, the throne passed to his young son, Edward V, who was only 12 years old at the time.

Edward V’s uncle, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, was named Lord Protector and was supposed to oversee the young king’s coronation and rule on his behalf until he came of age. However, Richard had his own ambitions for the throne and soon had Edward V and his younger brother, Richard, Duke of York, placed in the Tower of London for their protection.

In July 1483, Richard declared that Edward V was illegitimate and claimed the throne for himself, becoming King Richard III. It is believed that shortly thereafter, the two young princes disappeared from the Tower and were never seen again. It is widely suspected that Richard III had them killed, although there is no direct evidence to support this theory.

After Richard III’s death at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, Henry Tudor, who would later become King Henry VII, claimed the throne and married Elizabeth of York, the daughter of Edward IV and sister of the two missing princes. The fate of the princes remained a mystery for many years, with various rumors and legends circulating about their possible fates.

In 1674, during renovations to the Tower of London, two small skeletons were discovered buried under a staircase in the White Tower. It is believed that these could have been the remains of the two princes, although this has never been conclusively proven. In 1933, the bones were examined and determined to be those of two boys between the ages of 10 and 12, consistent with the ages of the missing princes.

In a haunting twist of fate, the presumed remains of the ill-fated Edward V and his brother Richard were laid to rest in Westminster Abbey at the command of Charles II. Edward, who was cruelly denied his rightful place on the throne, was finally granted a final resting place in the very spot where he took his first breaths. It is a macabre reminder of the cruel and capricious nature of fate, and a testament to the enduring legacy of the two young princes whose lives were cut tragically short.

The story of the Princes in the Tower has captured the imagination of many over the years, and there have been numerous theories and interpretations of what happened to them. Some have suggested that they were not actually murdered and instead were spirited away to safety, while others have speculated that they were killed by someone other than Richard III.

The mystery surrounding the fate of the princes has inspired countless works of literature, including William Shakespeare’s play “Richard III,” which portrays Richard as a villainous usurper who has the princes murdered in order to secure his claim to the throne. Other works, such as Josephine Tey’s novel “The Daughter of Time,” have sought to rehabilitate Richard’s reputation and suggest that he may not have been responsible for the boys’ disappearance.

Despite the many theories and interpretations, the truth about what happened to the Princes in the Tower may never be known for certain. However, their tragic story serves as a reminder of the dangers of ambition and the importance of protecting the innocent and vulnerable, particularly in times of political upheaval and uncertainty.