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British town hopes King Richard III burial is good for business

He's a fifteenth century King of England whose remains were found under a parking lot
King Richard III to be reburied 530 years after death 02:51

King Richard III is a 15th century king of England whose remains were found under a parking lot. Now, ceremonies are being held to honor the king, 530 years after he was killed in battle just outside of the town of Leicester, England. Mark Phillips reports from Leicester Cathedral, where the king will be reburied later this week.

Royal protocol may be a well-established industry in Britain, but there's never been anything like this.

They've had to make up the rules as they go along for how you treat a king who's been vilified by history and who had gone missing since the year 1485.

Richard III's bones are lying, not in state, but in a simple coffin. He'll be there until Thursday for whoever wants to pay respects.

It was only three years ago that his remains were discovered -- lying unceremoniously in a long-lost grave that had been covered by a parking lot.

He had been killed in the Battle of Bosworth field, where local historian John Whitehead gives tours.

Shakespeare says when Richard was knocked off his mount he offered his kingdom for a horse.

But the battle wounds to his skull show what happened when he didn't get one.

Richard finally got his horse five centuries later as his coffin was taken in a procession through town. History, written by the Tudor dynasty that deposed him, depicted Richard as a power-mad psychopath and child murderer, but here he's become a local hero.

And now, they hope, Richard will be good for business.

"In a village like this, it is good to pick up funds for the Church, for the restoration so yes, that's good," Whitehead said. "And it will transform Leicester, Leicester Cathedral and Leicester museum, there will be a tourist boom, yes."

Where history once happened and where a king will be buried, tourists can't be far behind. Around here, that is what they are counting on.

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