Discovering the Bones of the Missing Princes in the Tower: A Guest Post by Elizabeth St.John

The inspiration for The King’s Intelligencer grew from my research for The Godmother’s Secret, which focuses on the enduring mystery of the missing princes in the Tower of London. Edward V and Richard, Duke of York, disappeared in 1483, with many believing they were murdered by their uncle, Richard III. This historical enigma has intrigued scholars and writers for centuries, and I found myself captivated by it during my search for primary sources as I was writing my novel.

A pivotal moment in my research came when I visited Westminster Abbey and stood before the Chapel of the Innocents, where Sir Christopher Wren’s white marble urn, commissioned by King Charles II in 1675 and installed in 1678, supposedly holds the bones of the two princes. According to the urn’s inscription, the young princes were murdered on the orders of their “perfidious uncle Richard the Usurper” and secretly buried in the Tower of London. These bones, uncovered nearly two centuries later, were then laid to rest in this solemn monument.

As I stood near the urn, reflecting on the seventeenth-century Apsley family—the real-life inspiration for my novel’s characters—I began to question the authenticity of this discovery. The remains of Sir Allen and Frances Apsley, parents of my main character Franny Apsley, lie just a few steps from the princes’ tomb, linking my novel’s themes to both family history and national intrigue. Could the bones in the urn really be those of Edward V and his heir, Richard? Or was this discovery in 1674 a politically convenient find for King Charles II, an opportunity to reinforce his position during a period of religious and political strife?

To explore these questions further, I turned to historical scholarship. Helen Maurer’s paper Bones in the Tower: A Discussion of Time, Place and Circumstance and Annette Carson’s article The Bones in the Urn both challenge the accepted narrative. Maurer’s research highlights discrepancies in the timing, location, and identification of the remains, while Carson raises doubts about whether the bones belonged to the princes at all.

This idea gains traction when we consider the political climate of the late 17th century. Charles II ruled during a time of deep religious divides between Protestants and Catholics. Although Charles outwardly professed Protestantism, he had Catholic sympathies and secretly converted to Catholicism on his deathbed. His brother, James II, was openly Catholic, which contributed to his eventual overthrow during the Glorious Revolution of 1688. The discovery of the princes’ bones in 1674 provided Charles II with a timely opportunity to legitimize his own reign, portraying himself as a restorer of justice after the crimes of a “usurper.”

The discovery of the bones symbolized the uncovering of a long-buried crime, strengthening Charles’s position at a time when political and religious tensions were high. By connecting himself to the restoration of justice for the murdered princes, Charles could distance his family from associations with tyranny, despite growing concerns about his brother’s Catholicism. The timing of the discovery raises questions about whether the bones were used to manipulate public opinion.

Further research into the political landscape revealed more secrets. I explored the details of the Secret Treaty of Dover, a clandestine agreement between Charles II and Louis XIV of France. In this treaty, Charles promised to declare himself a Catholic in exchange for financial support. This agreement, hidden from the public for decades, underscores the precarious balance of power in 17th-century England and gave me the opportunity to add a national concern to a family history.

In this climate of political manoeuvring, espionage became a crucial tool. Intelligencers, or spies, gathered information covertly, often operating unofficially. This secretive world provided the perfect backdrop for my protagonist, Franny Apsley, who navigates the hidden loyalties, treaties, and espionage of 17th-century England.

Franny’s family was deeply involved in real-life espionage. Her parents, Sir Allen and Frances Apsley, along with her cousin Nan Wilmot, Countess of Rochester, were all engaged in covert activities during the English Civil War. Nan cleverly deceived Oliver Cromwell to protect her Royalist family, and then negotiated her Parliamentarian relative’s release at the Restoration, while Franny’s brother, Peter Apsley, worked as an intelligencer for Charles II and James II. This family history inspired the espionage elements of The King’s Intelligencer, as I imagined Franny following in her family’s footsteps.

And what about the bones? Even if the present monarch permits DNA testing, the remains may have deteriorated too much to provide conclusive results. If the bones are proven to belong to the princes, we would still lack crucial details—like the cause of death or the identity of their murderer. The mystery of the bones remains unsolved, leaving historians and novelists alike to speculate.

The King’s Intelligencer blends historical fact with fiction, following Franny as she embarks on a perilous quest to uncover the truth about the missing princes. The novel explores not only the mystery of their remains but also the broader political machinations of the time, including secret treaties and espionage. By weaving together elements of real history, including my family’s involvement in 17th-century intrigue, I hope to offer a fresh perspective on the princes in the Tower and the centuries-old beliefs that impact our thoughts today.

Footnote:

The full inscription of Sir Christopher Wren’s urn, translated from the Latin, reads as follows:

Here lie the relics of Edward V, King of England, and Richard, Duke of York. These brothers being confined in the Tower of London, and there stifled with pillows, were privately and meanly buried, by the order of their perfidious uncle Richard the Usurper; whose bones, long enquired after and wished for, after 191 years in the rubbish of the stairs (those lately leading to the Chapel of the White Tower) were on the 17th day of July 1674, by undoubted proofs discovered, being buried deep in that place. Charles II, a most compassionate prince, pitying their severe fate, ordered these unhappy Princes to be laid amongst the monuments of their predecessors, 1678, in the 30th year of his reign.

 

Author Bio

Elizabeth St.John’s critically acclaimed historical fiction novels tell the stories of her ancestors: extraordinary women whose intriguing kinship with England’s kings and queens brings an intimately unique perspective to Medieval, Tudor, and Stuart times.

Inspired by family archives and residences from Lydiard Park to the Tower of London, Elizabeth spends much of her time exploring ancestral portraits, diaries, and lost gardens. And encountering the occasional ghost. But that’s another story.

Living between California, England, and the past, Elizabeth is the International Ambassador for The Friends of Lydiard Park, an English charity dedicated to conserving and enhancing this beautiful centuries-old country house and park. As a curator for The Lydiard Archives, she is constantly looking for an undiscovered treasure to inspire her next novel.

Elizabeth’s works include The Lydiard Chronicles, a trilogy set in 17th-century England during the Civil War, and The Godmother’s Secret, which unravels the medieval mystery of the missing princes in the Tower of London. Her latest release, The King’s Intelligencer, follows Franny Apsley’s perilous quest to uncover the truth behind the sudden discovery of the princes’ bones. In Charles II’s court of intrigue and deceit, Franny must decide what she’ll risk—for England’s salvation, her family’s safety, and her own happiness.

Andrea here! You can follow Elizabeth on social media on X, Facebook, Threads, Instagram, BlueSky and visit her website: https://www.elizabethjstjohn.com/

She was also my guest on the February 2024 episode of Stuart Saturday Live, which you can watch here on YouTube, or listen to on my podcast, The Seventeenth Century Lady. Thank you!