Were the Tudors legit?

Were the Tudors legit?

Richard III, or what remains of him, was dug up in a parking lot in Leicester, England, in 2012. He had reigned as king in the 1400s until his rival relative, Henry Tudor, defeated him and began the long line of Tudor monarchs.

But a recent examination of his DNA suggests—surprise—infidelity somewhere along the line (female infidelity, to be specific). And since both Richard and Henry were descended from the same king, it’s possible that the Tudors had branched off from the royal line. Not that royals always played by the bloodline rules: Henry claimed the throne “by right of conquest,” not blood, one expert noted. And perhaps now we know why. 

—Tim Gihring, editor

December 13, 2014

Source: BBC News, December 2, 2014