Edward V

1483

aka The Prince in the Tower

Edward was just twelve years old when his father died. He was reportedly witty, fun-loving and mature for his age. His mother’s family, the Woodvilles, were influential in his childhood but on his father’s death, his uncle Richard, Duke of Gloucester, took control of him. Edward’s father had intended that Richard should take care of his son in the event of his death. After all, Edward IV’s reign had been turbulent. He had deposed Henry VI twice to take the throne and he knew that young Edward would inherit many enemies. Edward V even required protection at birth. His mother, Elizabeth, sought sanctuary at Westminster Abbey after Edward’s father had been deposed from the throne. Here she gave birth to Edward. Within a few months, Edward IV was back on the throne and baby Edward became the Prince of Wales.

On Edward IV’s death, Richard became Lord Protector. This position was given to him by Edward so that he could act as regent and protect his son. Edward’s mother was suspicious of Richard. Even though her son was young when he acceded to the throne, she established a ruling council with the intention of crowning Edward quickly. This would have meant that Richard would not have been regent for long. However Richard’s ally, Lord Hastings, warned him that his powerful position was in danger of being taken from him. While Edward, Prince of Wales, made the journey from Ludlow to London, Richard’s men rode to meet him. Edward’s uncle, Earl Rivers, and half-brother Sir Richard Grey were arrested, taken to Pontefract Castle and later beheaded. Edward was taken to the Tower of London. Richard claimed that by housing the young Prince at royal apartments within the Tower, he was protecting him.

At a meeting of the Council of the Protectorate held within the Tower, Richard accused his loyal ally, Lord Hastings, of committing treason by conspiring with the Woodville family. Lord Hastings was executed without trial along with members of the Woodville family. Elizabeth and her younger son had already taken refuge at Westminster Abbey. Richard was able to stop the plans for Prince Edward’s coronation and sought a way to render him and his little brother declared illegitimate. The reason he gave for taking away Edward’s right to rule was that his father, Edward IV, had been contracted to marry another woman before secretly marrying Elizabeth. The Bishop of Bath and Wales supported Richard by claiming that Edward IV had been betrothed to Lady Eleanor Butler. Betrothal was taken as seriously as marriage. Parliament therefore declared Edward IV’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville invalid and their children illegitimate. Edward was deposed in favour of his uncle Richard.

In June, 1483, Edward’s younger brother Richard joined him at the Tower of London. The two boys were moved further and further into the interior, eventually being housed inside the White Tower. For some time they could still be glimpsed playing in the gardens. Unfortunately, after September 1483, these sightings stopped. It was assumed that Richard III ordered the murder of the boys to strengthen his position as king. However, some historians have argued that both the Duke of Buckingham and Henry VII stood to gain from the Princes’ death. With Edward out of the way, they moved closer to becoming king. Richard III’s popularity plummeted. His subjects were shocked at the rumours of his murderous actions.

Even the rumour that young Richard may have escaped from the Tower and had been hidden by his mother did not increase Richard III’s standing with his people. The claims of both Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck to be the young Richard, Duke of York, failed to reassure the English people. In 1502, nearly thirty years after their disappearance, Sir James Tyrrell confessed to smothering the Princes on the orders of Richard III. In 1674, the skeletons of two young boys were found hidden in a casket which had been buried at the bottom of a flight of stairs leading to the Tower. They were assumed to be the bodies of the young Princes.

Edward V Factfile