Richard III and the Bosworth Rose.

My Mom is a real fan of Richard III. It started as curiosity which was sparked by reading Phillipa Gregory's 'The White Queen', but as soon as Richard's remains were discovered under that Leicester car park Mom's interest became a real passion. She has read historical accounts and fictional interpretations alike, even the one where Richard is a time traveler who prevents his own untimely death at the battle of Bosworth. I'm not sure that that story really assisted in Mom's understanding of the man but I'm quite sure that she enjoyed it. Her interest is really something to behold.

In our household Richard spoken about as commonly as most people speak about their work colleagues. He's almost like the brother I never had and so understandably, Richard's re-interment event was taken very seriously. We applied to get tickets to the actual event at Leicester cathedral, but with no success. We did however get tickets to a service of remembrance at Bosworth battle where Richard's remains were brought on his journey to Leicester. 

It was a strange event, I can't exactly describe the way it made me feel. You were very aware that we were there to remember a very important, though controversial figure who died very young in a spectacularly violent way. He was King for only 777 days but, arguably, he achieved more in that short time than Henry VII did after him. There is a lot that we don't know about Richard III, primarily, was he responsible for the deaths of the princes in the tower? What we do know about him was he did quite a lot for the people to stop those with power and influence from abusing the poor. He also took steps to protect books because he loved reading. You can't hate a guy who loves books, you just can't. 

As I sat and watched the coffin arrive I became aware that I was experiencing something very special and momentous, I am unlikely to ever attend the funeral of another monarch, especially one who had been dug up and is going to be reburied. It will be one of those special events which I hope to remember for the rest of my life. 

Style Roses have created a special rose to commemorate the battle of Bosworth and everyone who was involved, not just Richard. Mom ordered one for her and one for me and it has just started to bloom. Richard's symbol was a white rose, Henry Tudor's was the red Tudor rose and this chaotic intermingling of both colours splashed together on each bloom is very symbolic of the chaos and the bloodshed which took place at the end of the Plantagenet rule and the start of the Tudor reign.