A HISTORIAN instrumental in finding the remains of Richard III has said he is pleased the king is being buried with Royal recognition.

Dr John Ashdown-Hill’s research was vital in finding and confirming the identity of bones found under a council car park to be those of the much-maligned king.

On Sunday, 35,000 people lined the route of the last Plantagenet king’s cortege from Leicester University to a service at the town's cathedral.

Dr Ashdown-Hill, from Lawford, was present when the king’s bones were put in the coffin and a rosary he had commissioned was placed in with him.

The medieval expert said: “It was quite a solemn occasion.

“The rosarywas put in a linen bag and placed in the coffin on top of the bones.”

Richard III's lead-lined oak coffin was then carried on a 22- mile procession before arriving at Leicester Cathedral.

There, a crown commissioned by Dr Ashdown-Hill, was placed on the coffin.

The crown, made of metal, gilded and set with enamel white roses, gemstones and pearls, was created in the design of the surviving crown belonging to Richard’s sister, Margaret of York.

The week of events marking the king’s life and death had been delayed after distant relatives brought a legal challenge arguing Richard should be reburied in York. However, judges ruled in favour of Leicester.

Dr Ashdown-Hill said: “A lot of people have different opinions about him, but in the end, it seems to have been done well.

“The service had some nice music and Richard liked music very much.

“The placing of the crown on the coffin definitely recognised him as a king.”

“Henry VII must be so angry.

He tried so hard to blacken Richard’s reputation.

“No other medieval or English king has been given this kind of ceremony or recognition so long after his death.”

Tomorrow, the coffin will be entombed in the cathedral. The Royal family are due to send a representative to the ceremony.