Philippa Langley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Philippa Langley
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Philippa Langley in March 2015
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| Born | 29 June 1962 British Kenya
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| Nationality | British |
| Education | Hummersknott School, Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College |
| Occupation | Writer and producer |
| Organization | Richard III Society |
| Known for | Discovery and exhumation of Richard III |
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Notable work
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| Television |
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| Spouse(s) | John Langley (separated) |
| Children | 2 |
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| Honours | MBE |
Philippa Langley (born 29 June 1962) is a British writer and producer. She is most famous for her important role in finding the remains of King Richard III in 2012. This discovery was part of her "Looking for Richard" project. For her work, she was given an MBE award, which is a special honour in the UK. Philippa has also written books and appeared in documentaries about her search for Richard III. Her story was even made into a movie called The Lost King in 2022.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Philippa Langley was born in British Kenya. When she was two years old, her family moved to Blackwell, England. She went to Hummersknott School and Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College in Darlington. Later, she started a career in marketing and eventually settled in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The Search for King Richard III
Philippa Langley became interested in King Richard III in 1998. She read a book about him and felt that his true story had not been told. At the time, Philippa was dealing with a condition called myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), which made her very tired. She decided to leave her marketing job to write a movie script about Richard III.
Starting the "Looking for Richard" Project
In 2004, Philippa visited places in Leicester linked to Richard III. She went to a car park that some people thought might be his burial spot. She felt a strong feeling that Richard's body was there. She felt it again in 2005.
In 2005, Philippa connected with Dr. John Ashdown-Hill. He had found a living relative of Richard III in Canada using mitochondrial DNA. This type of DNA helps link family members through their mothers. This discovery was key to identifying any remains found.
In 2009, Philippa started the "Looking for Richard" project. Her goal was to get the car park excavated. She worked with Dr. David and Wendy Johnson, John Ashdown-Hill, and Annette Carson.
Finding the King
In 2010, Philippa got support from the Leicester City Council. They agreed to let her dig and make a TV show about Leicester's link to Richard III. If remains were found, they would be buried in Leicester Cathedral. The Council couldn't give money, but they allowed the dig and helped Philippa find sponsors.
Philippa hired the University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) to do the digging. In 2011, some early tests using ground penetrating radar (a tool that sees underground) were not clear. This made some sponsors pull out. Philippa then started an online crowdfunding appeal. Many members of the Richard III Society from around the world donated money. They raised £17,367, which was a big part of the £32,867 needed for the two-week dig.
On 25 August 2012, the excavation began. Just a few hours later, they found a skeleton. This skeleton was later confirmed to be the remains of King Richard III.
Disagreements After the Discovery
After the discovery, the University of Leicester announced the findings in February 2013. Philippa felt left out of this announcement. The University presented itself as leading the search, even though they had been doubtful at first. The University also controlled the remains, which led to some legal issues later on.
In 2022, a movie called The Lost King came out. It told Philippa's story of searching for Richard III. The movie showed some of the disagreements with the University. The University said parts of the movie were not accurate. However, Philippa and the filmmakers stood by their story. The Richard III Society also supported the film and recognized Philippa's and John Ashdown-Hill's important roles. They also highlighted the financial help from the Society's members.
Other Historical Projects
The Hidden Abbey Project
In 2014, Philippa started a new project called the "Hidden Abbey Project." Her aim was to find the remains of Henry I of England. He was buried at Reading Abbey, which is now in ruins. In 2020, Philippa believed that Henry I's grave was under a car park at the old Reading gaol. In 2021, Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer joined the effort to raise money for the excavation.
The Missing Princes Project
In 2022, Philippa led "The Missing Princes Project." This project tries to find out what happened to the Princes in the Tower. These two young princes disappeared in 1483. Many people believed Richard III was responsible for their deaths.
The project started in 2015. In 2023, Philippa said she found new evidence that suggests Richard III was not responsible for their deaths. She co-hosted a TV show called Princes in the Tower: The New Evidence on Channel 4. In the show, she shared her theories and new discoveries from old records.
Some historians have different views on her findings. Philippa says her conclusions come from using a "police missing person investigation" method. This is different from how traditional historians usually work.
As a Writer and Producer
Philippa Langley has been involved in several documentaries and books.
- From 2011 to 2013, she was an associate producer for the Channel 4 documentary Richard III: The King in the Car Park. This film won an award in 2013.
- She also worked on a follow-up short film called Richard III: The Unseen Story.
- In 2013, she co-wrote The King's Grave: The Search for Richard III with Michael K. Jones.
- In 2014, she wrote Finding Richard III, which shared the research behind the "Looking for Richard" project.
- In 2022, she and Michael K. Jones updated their book, calling it The Lost King: The Search for Richard III. This book came out with the movie The Lost King, where actress Sally Hawkins played Philippa.
- In 2023, she was an associate producer and co-presenter for The Princes in the Tower: The New Evidence. She also published a new book, The Princes in the Tower: Solving History’s Greatest Cold Case. In this book, she states that the mystery of the princes is "now solved." She believes both princes survived Richard III's reign.
Personal Life
Before finding Richard III, Philippa was diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). This meant she had to rest a lot to save her energy for her research trips to Leicester.
She was married to John Langley, but they later separated. They have two sons. The movie The Lost King showed their unique relationship, where they still cared for each other even after separating.
Awards and Honours
Philippa Langley has received several awards and honours for her work:
- In October 2021, she became a Fellow of the Richard III Society.
- In March 2014, she received the Royal Television Society (RTS) Award for History for the documentary Richard III: The King in the Car Park.
- In June 2015, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her work in finding and identifying Richard III.
- In March 2015, Leicester Cathedral dedicated a poem to her. The poem was read at King Richard III's burial.
- In April 2014, a special blue plaque was put up at the Cramond Inn. This marked the place where Philippa started the "Looking for Richard" project in 2009.
- In March 2013, she was given Honorary Life Membership of the Richard III Society.
- In October 2012, she received the Robert Hamblin Award from the Richard III Society.
In Film and Television
- Philippa was featured in and helped produce the 2013 Channel 4 documentary Richard III: The King in the Car Park.
- She also featured in and helped produce the 2013 follow-up short documentary Richard III: The Unseen Story.
- She was played by actress Sally Hawkins in the 2022 movie The Lost King, which tells the story of her search for Richard III. Philippa herself has a small appearance in the movie during the reburial scene.
- In November 2023, she co-presented The Princes in the Tower: The New Evidence on Channel 4 with Robert Rinder.
