He Was One Of The Princes In The Tower
Edward V is most noted in history as one of the “Princes in the Tower” who disappeared without a trace, along with his younger brother, Prince Richard of Shrewsbury. While most historians think they know what happened, the mystery still hasn’t truly been solved. And the theories are wild.
John Everett Millais, Wikimedia Commons
1. He Was Born Into A Dynastic Conflict
From the time he was born, Edward V was involved in a game of thrones for the English crown. At the time that his mother gave birth to him on November 2, 1470, she was seeking refuge from a bitter dynastic conflict that had deposed her husband, the king. Swaddled in a blanket at Cheyneygates, beside Westminster Abbey, Edward V was already in danger.
2. He Became A Prince Quickly
Not long after he was born, Edward V’s father, King Edward IV, reclaimed the crown. And, with it, a small measure of safety and security. By June 1471, Edward V became Prince of Wales, and by 1473, he presided—at least in name—over the Council of Wales and the Marches at Ludlow Castle. As his father’s eldest son, he had to prepare to one day wear the crown himself.
3. His Uncle Educated Him Well
With his father busy trying to secure power, Edward V’s education fell to his uncle, Anthony Woodville, Earl Rivers. Earl Rivers was his mother’s brother and had developed a reputation as an exemplary scholar of his era. Under Earl Rivers’ careful eye, the young prince prepared for a life of good governance and courtliness.
His father made sure of it.
Lorenzo Lippi, Wikimedia Commons
4. He Followed A Royal Schedule
When it came to his son’s education, Edward IV left nothing to chance. He ordered his son to “arise every morning at a convenient hour”, kicking off each day with matins and Mass. Edward IV further clarified that no one was to interrupt his son during these morning rituals. In fact, Edward V’s father laid out his entire schedule and curriculum.
Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons
5. He Learned Virtue First
Every morning, lessons followed Edward V’s breakfast. His father had specifically instructed that Edward V’s lessons should focus on “virtuous learning,” not idle amusement. Then, he instructed, Edward V was to have dinner (lunch) by 10 in the morning while servants read “noble stories…of virtue, honour, cunning, wisdom, and of deeds of worship” to him.
He was definitely sheltered from life’s hardships.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
6. He Was Shielded From Vice
Edward IV demanded moral purity within his son’s household, banning anyone from reading stories “that should move or stir him to vice”. Moreover, he instructed Earl Rivers to remove anyone with a reputation as a “swearer, brawler, backbiter,” or worse from his son’s presence. Suffice to say, Edward V didn’t even have the opportunity to be a bad little prince.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
7. He Balanced Books And Sport
As per his father’s instructions, Edward V’s afternoons included physical activity befitting a prince, followed by “evensong” and an early supper that had to be served no later than four in the afternoon. By eight, Edward V’s servants had to draw the curtains closed so that the tuckered-out—if pampered—prince could get a good night’s sleep and do it all over again.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
8. He Left A Good Impression
Dominic Mancini, an Italian monk who was visiting England at the time, marveled at Edward V’s intellect. “In word and deed he gave so many proofs of his liberal education, of polite nay rather scholarly, attainments far beyond his age,” Mancini wrote. With an uncanny ability to recite from the best works of literature and learning, Edward V was almost certainly going to be a good king.
He was even pleasant to be around.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
History's most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily.
9. He Captivated Onlookers
Mancini noticed more than Edward V’s mature mind and broad education. The Italian monk further reported on the prince’s character, noting that he carried “such dignity” and “such charm” that “he never wearied the eyes of beholders”. Mancini’s praise hinted at a ruler who might command hearts as well as minds—if only he had survived.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
10. His Marriage Was Already Planned Out
In keeping with his practice of controlling every aspect of his son’s life, Edward IV arranged the Prince of Wales’ marriage. As soon as they were old enough, Edward IV had arranged for Edward V to marry Anne, the heiress to Francis II, Duke of Brittany. As per the agreement, their eldest son would inherit the throne of England while their next son would inherit the duchy of Brittany.
It was all a perfect plan until one fateful day.
Jean Bourdichon, Wikimedia Commons
11. He Learned The News
At just 12 years old, Edward V learned that his life was going to change forever. On Monday, April 14, 1483, news reached Ludlow Castle, where Edward V was staying, that his father King Edward IV had passed suddenly five days earlier. From that moment on, every step he took would carry the unbearable weight of a crown that he was not yet ready to wear.
Ann Longmore-Etheridge, Wikimedia Commons
12. He Was Given A Protector
King Edward IV had planned for exactly this possibility. While the late king’s will is lost to history, his instructions were clear: Until Edward V was ready to assume the throne on his own, his uncle, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, would serve as Protector. The Duke of Gloucester was Edward IV’s “trusted” brother—but power has a way of corrupting even the best people.
London Films, Wikimedia Commons
13. He Gained A Public Champion
Rumors swirled that Richard, Duke of Gloucester, had foreknowledge of his brother’s illness. However, it wasn’t until around April 15, 1483 that Richard learned the news of his brother’s passing. And he didn’t waste a minute. Richard sped off to York Minster, where he swore “his loyalty to his new king”. The gesture was reassuring—but, perhaps, a calculated manipulation.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
14. He Began His Final Journey
Edward V, now technically King of England, departed from Ludlow on April 24, heading towards London to claim his crown. And he wasn’t traveling alone. Richard left York a day earlier, intending to escort his nephew into the kingdom’s capital. Their parties converged at Stony Stratford five days later, and already, the Duke of Gloucester’s behavior raised eyebrows.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
15. He Lost His Protectors Overnight
That evening, Richard dined cordially with Edward V’s guardians, including Earl Rivers and Richard Grey—a half-brother of the new king. By morning, however, Richard had set a devious plan into motion. He took Earl Rivers, Grey, and another one of Edward V’s guardians into custody and sent them up north, away from London. Two months later, Richard ordered the men to be executed.
Poor little Edward V was now in his uncle’s possibly traitorous hands.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
16. He Objected Powerlessly
Despite his age, Edward V recognized the gravity of his situation. According to Dominic Mancini, the new king protested when his uncle clapped his guardians in irons. However, his objections changed nothing. Gloucester dismissed the rest of Edward V’s household and personally escorted the boy king to London. The noose in his trap tightened with each step.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
17. He Reached London As King
Edward V entered London beside his uncle, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, as the presumptive monarch. And, for a time, it seemed like his uncle was actually serving as his Protector. Plans for Edward V’s coronation moved forward, but not without a curious delay. Without explanation, the coronation was moved from May 4 to June 25…the same day that Gloucester had Rivers and others executed.
Slowly, Edward V saw what his uncle was doing.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
18. He Entered The Tower
Outwardly, it looked to everyone like Edward V was, in fact, going to get the crown. In mid-May, he moved into the Tower of London as was the custom for monarchs before their coronation. Then, a little less than a month later, on June 16, his younger brother Richard of Shrewsbury joined him. However, what was once a regal residence quickly became a gilded cage.
And Edward V’s uncle was the only one with the key.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
19. He Lost His Coronation
The Privy Council initially pushed for a swift coronation, wanting to avoid the protracted regencies that had defined the kingships of Richard II and Henry VI before. However, despite their push for a speedy transition, nothing materialized. Working quietly in the background, Gloucester managed to have Edward V’s coronation postponed…indefinitely.
He was about to lose more than just a crown.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
20. He Was Declared Illegitimate
By late June, the propaganda against Edward V had kicked into high gear. An influential preacher, Dr Ralph Shaa, stood on the pulpit at Saint Paul’s Cross and made a scandalous claim. Edward IV, he said, had been promised in marriage to Lady Eleanor Butler before marrying Elizabeth Woodville. Edward V, Shaa then concluded, was an illegitimate heir.
Things only got worse for Edward V from there.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
21. He Watched His Uncle’s Coronation
After removing Edward V and his cousins from the line of succession, an assembly named Richard the rightful heir to the throne. Parliament’s signing of the Titulus Regius the next day made it official: The Duke of Gloucester was now King Richard III of England. On July 6, 1483, Edward V stayed locked up in his tower as his uncle was officially crowned in his place.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
22. He Reigned Without A Crown
Edward V never had a coronation and never wore the crown—but he was technically King of England. For the 77 days between April 9, 1483 and June 25, 1483 Edward V was the rightful monarch, ruling over his father’s kingdom. However, even during this brief period when he technically had the power, he was still under his uncle’s thumb. And that remained true until the end.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
23. He Was Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind
Mancini observed something odd after Richard seized power. The visiting monk couldn’t help but notice that Edward V and his brother seemed to be kept deliberately out of sight. He noted that someone had moved the two princes into the Tower’s “inner apartments,” where few courtiers, far less the public, could see them. Then, by autumn that year, the boys all but ceased making public appearances.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
24. He Was Last Seen Playing
Some accounts from the time make mention of two boys, presumably princes, playing within the grounds of the Tower of London. Most have assumed that these sightings were of Edward V and his brother, as they occurred shortly after Shrewsbury had arrived. However, by the end of the summer, no such sightings were ever recorded.
What seemed to be happening inside those walls was terrifying.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
25. He Expected The Worst
Mancini’s accounts provide some insight into what was happening inside the Tower of London. According to Mancini, Edward V was having routine visits from a physician who had troubling news to report. The doctor said that Edward V was “like a victim prepared for sacrifice”, confessing and seeking penance, “because he believed that death was facing him”.
Outside the Tower, things were just as dire.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
26. He Inspired A Rebellion
Historian Maurice Keen argues that early opposition to Richard III’s rule sought to rescue Edward V and his brother from the Tower. However, as the power struggle waged on outside of the Tower of London, Edward V’s supporters began to lose hope. They feared the worst; that Edward V and his brother were already lying six feet under.
Others, however, thought that the boys were still alive and kicking.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
27. He May Have Made It To September
The British historian Alison Weir put forth a theory that Edward V and his younger brother may have been alive longer than previously thought. While fighting outside the Tower went on, Weir theorized that Edward V might have been alive as late as September 3. Critics of Weir’s theory, however, argued that it was only “her own imagination” based on “evidence she has so misleadingly presented”.
Weir, however, had good supporting evidence.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
28. He Made It Another Year
The 19th-cwentury English writer Clements Markham put forth a likelier date for Edward V’s demise. Citing Richard III’s own orders that “the children should be together at one breakfast”, Clements suggested that Edward V and his brother survived into July 1484. It was almost a year past even Weir’s optimistic theory, but it had the evidence to back it up.
Either way, they didn’t survive much past that.
29. He Inspired Shakespeare
The theologian Saint Thomas More was the first to record what most people believe happened to Edward V. In his writings, More claimed that Edward V and his younger brother suffocated in their beds, smothered by pillows. More’s account entered pop culture as the inspiration for Shakespeare’s Richard III, becoming the widely accepted truth.
And More named names.
Hans Holbein the Younger, Wikimedia Commons
30. He Rested “At The Stayre Foot”
More went beyond simply naming the deed; he pointed fingers. He identified Sir James Tyrrell as the agent behind the operation, aided by Miles Forrest and John Dighton, who held the pillows over Edward V’s and his brother’s faces. Then, according to More, the culprits laid the boys’ remains “at the stayre foote, metely depe in the grounde vnder a great heape of stones”.
These were not baseless accusations either.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
31. His Attackers Confessed
Years later, Sir James Tyrrell fell into Henry VII’s hands after backing yet another Yorkist challenger. According to Thomas More, Tyrrell spoke before his execution, admitting—under some questionable treatment—that he had in fact carried out the terrible deed of smothering Edward V. And, moreover, that he had acted on Richard III’s command.
The admission hardened suspicion into something darker.
Not stated., Wikimedia Commons
32. His Uncle Took Credit
The Italian historian Virgil confirmed More’s accounts in his Anglica Historia, written some 50 years after Edward V’s presumed demise. In it, Virgil portrayed Tyrrell as a reluctant participant who “rode sorrowfully to London” to carry out Richard III’s orders. But Virgil added one chilling detail: Richard III spread the rumor of Edward V’s demise, hoping to stifle the rebellion against him.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
33. He Became A Cautionary Tale
News of Edward V’s ultimate fate spread across the English Channel like a terrible sea breeze. In January 1484, Guillaume de Rochefort addressed France’s Estates General, urging them to “take warning” from the boys’ fate. Their own king, Charles VIII, was only 13 himself. After Edward V, they feared some might get ideas about usurpation.
Perhaps even Richard III himself.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
34. His Uncle Was The Prime Suspect
Even at the time, there was little doubt in anyone’s mind that Richard III had, ultimately, been the one to orchestrate Edward V’s demise. Chroniclers like George Cely and John Rous reported the princes’ disappearance, often naming Richard III directly. Only Mancini hesitated, admitting he simply did not know what truly occurred.
That did not stop history from judging.
35. His Uncle Was Guilty
Henry VII, rising to power just a few years later as the first Tudor king, issued a Bill of Attainder that left no question as to whodunit. The Bill of Attainder did not mention Edward V or his brother by name, but accused Richard III of “unnatural, mischievous and great perjuries, treasons” and of “shedding of infant’s blood”.
Now, Edward V just wanted to rest in peace.
Mary L. Gow, Wikimedia Commons
36. He Resurfaced 200 Years Later
Nearly two centuries later, builders remodeling the Tower made a shocking discovery when they unearthed a wooden box beneath a staircase. Inside lay two small skeletons, buried deep. Reports mentioned “pieces of rag and velvet about them”, suggesting high or noble birth. With this discovery, it seemed that the mystery of Edward V’s disappearance could be laid to rest.
And so could he.
"Tower of London", Wikimedia Commons
37. He Finally Found Rest
In 1678, the presumed remains of Edward V and his brother Richard of Shrewsbury finally received the proper care their station warranted. What was left of the Princes in the Tower was sealed in an urn and placed in Westminster Abbey by order of Charles II. They were set within the Henry VII Lady Chapel wall—close to kings and queens—granting Edward V a royal resting place at last.
But…was it actually him?
TimothyBarkerJr, Wikimedia Commons
38. He Was “Urn-ing” To Get The Truth Out
In 1933, experts reopened the urn that contained the presumed remains of Edward V and his brother. Archivist Lawrence Tanner, anatomist William Wright, and dental specialist George Northcroft studied the bones carefully and concluded that they had belonged to two children of roughly the right ages. However, there were some very troubling inconsistencies.
39. He Wasn’t All There
The 1933 examination was conclusive in its findings—but it also found some controversial evidence. The presumed bones of Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury were mixed in with animal remains and rusty nails. Further, the skeletons were incomplete as many bones were missing, and others showed damage from the original excavation.
That wasn’t the worst of it.
Józef Simmler / After Paul Delaroche, Wikimedia Commons
40. His Bones Might Still Be Missing
Critics later challenged the 1933 inquiry, arguing that it had assumed too much from the outset to be a reliable source of truth. Investigators, the critics claimed, had focused narrowly on signs of suffocation and never even confirmed whether the bones belonged to males or females. However, trying to conduct a better examination would prove even harder.
Silvester Harding, Wikimedia Commons
41. He Remains Untested
Despite decades (or centuries) of mystery, intrigue, and debate, no modern scientific testing has been carried out on the bones resting in Westminster Abbey. No fresh examinations. No forensic upgrades. Not even a serious attempt at DNA analysis—assuming usable material still exists. Edward V’s true identity—and ultimate fate—remains a mystery.
Perhaps he escaped the Tower after all.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
42. He Had An Imposter
Even before the end of the 15th century, during Henry VII’s reign, the mystery of Edward V’s fate had gripped public imagination. First, a boy named Lambert Simnel emerged as if from nowhere and claimed to be the long-lost Edward V. He was even crowned “King Edward” in Dublin and was called “Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick” by those who believed him.
And that was just the beginning.
Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Commons
43. His Brother Reappeared—Sorta
Lambert Sinnel wasn’t the only princely pretender. Sometime later, Perkin Warbeck appeared in Ireland claiming to be Edward V's younger brother, Richard of Shrewsbury. Warbeck styled himself as “King Richard IV” and even had powerful figures like Margaret of York and James IV of Scotland back his claims. True or not, he almost succeeded.
Jacques Le Boucq, Wikimedia Commons
44. His Princely Pretender Failed
Warbeck didn’t just claim to be Edward V’s younger brother; he acted like it. Putting his words into action, Warbeck launched an invasion—but it failed miserably. Having fallen into English custody, Warbeck withdrew his claims before his sentence of execution was carried out. Most historians now agree that he was just a princely poser whose backers had their own interests at heart.
Still, there was hope for the real Edward V yet.
Paget, H. M. (Henry Marriott), Wikimedia Commons
45. He May Have Escaped
Researchers from the “Missing Princes Project” made a startling proposal in 2021. What if, they suggested, Edward V had managed to escape from the Tower of London? And they weren’t just wishing. The researchers pointed to a man named John Evans, who simply appeared in Coldridge, Devon, around 1484 and received the prestigious title of Lord of the Manor.
They may have been on to something.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
46. His Uncle Was Innocent After All?
A few years later, in 2023, Philippa Langley announced new archival findings that she believed changed everything everyone thought they knew about Edward V’s disappearance. Langley posited that her findings cleared Richard III of any wrongdoing. Alongside Rob Rinder, she presented her case in a Channel 4 documentary that promised to be revelatory.
Screenshot from The Princes in the Tower: The New Evidence, Silverlining Rights Ltd(2023)
47. He Rewrote History
The Richard III Society welcomed Langley’s conclusions, arguing that Richard III’s involvement in the tragic fate of Edward V and his brother had always rested on conjecture. In a bold statement, they insisted history must now fix the record and change its tune, claiming that one could no longer “confidently” blame Richard III for his nephews’ disappearance.
However, Langley’s findings weren’t all they were cracked up to be.
Screenshot from The Princes in the Tower: The New Evidence, Silverlining Rights Ltd(2023)
48. He Stirred Up More Controversy
Not everyone involved in the wild new claims agreed. Three senior members of the Dutch Research Group later stepped back from Langley’s assertions, stressing that the documents they uncovered were not conclusive. According to these researchers, the new evidence was “open to various interpretations” and did “not constitute irrefutable proof” that Edward V and his brother had made it out alive.
Screenshot from The Princes in the Tower: The New Evidence, Silverlining Rights Ltd(2023)
49. He Sparked A Modern Missing Persons Case
Despite the criticism, Langley doubled down on her claims. She said that she had formed her opinion based on “the totality of evidence thus assembled and the outcomes of a modern [official] missing person investigation methodology…”. Although, notably, she clarified that she had not used “a traditional historical research method” to analyze the evidence.
Edward V, it seemed, could never simply rest in peace.
Screenshot from The Princes in the Tower: The New Evidence, Silverlining Rights Ltd(2023)
50. He Lies Near Kings And Queens
Nearly 200 years later, King Charles II sought to finally lay Edward V and his brother down to rest for good. He ordered their presumed remains to be sealed in a white marble sarcophagus, expertly crafted by Joshua Marshall and designed by Sir Christopher Wren. To this day, the sarcophagus sits close to Elizabeth I's final resting place— in Westminster Abbey’s Henry VII Chapel.
But a discovery a century later cast doubt on the whole thing.
amanderson2, Wikimedia Commons
51. He May Rest Elsewhere
In 1789, restorations at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle unearthed the greatest twist in Edward V’s disappearance. By chance alone, workmen erroneously opened Edward IV's vault—and found something unexpected. Beside Edward IV’s tomb, there was another enclosure housing two small coffins. The discovery reopened old questions and sparked new investigations. But it only deepened the mystery.
Internet Archive Book Images, Wikimedia Commons
52. He May Be With His Father
The tomb named two children, George, Duke of Bedford, and Mary—two of Edward IV’s children who predeceased him. However, later excavations found that both George and Mary lay elsewhere in the chapel, leaving the identity of the coffins’ true occupants unknown. To this day, the ultimate fate of Edward V and his final resting place remain secrets, lost to history.
Screenshot from Richard III: The Princes in the Tower, Oxford Films(2015)
You May Also Like:
Princess Marina Was Britain’s Most Glamorous Royal
Jane Austen Was A Real-Life Tragic Heroine
.png){kind=link}
_(14596890130).jpg){kind=link}