Home
Membership
Did Richard III always plan to seize the English throne?

Did Richard III always plan to seize the English throne?

In this second episode of our four-part series on the life of legacy of Richard III, Chris Skidmore tells Spencer Mizen about Richard's controversial rise to the throne and asks: did he plan it all along?

Composite image featuring a colour portrait of Richard III on the left, alongside a black-and-white illustration of two young boys seated together on a bed, one leaning protectively towards the other

Spencer Mizen

Published: October 26, 2026 at 10:31 AM

Save

It was among the most extraordinary periods in English history, taking in the death of Edward IV, summary executions, and the crowning of Richard III as king. In this second episode of our four-part series on the life and legacy of Richard III, Chris Skidmore tells Spencer Mizen about Richard's extraordinarily controversial rise to the throne and asks: did he plan it all along?

More episodes in this series:

Episode 1: Richard III's traumatic childhood
Episode 3: Richard III's turbulent reign
Episode 4: Richard III's contested legacy

Authors

Spencer MizenSenior production editor

Spencer is senior production editor of HistoryExtra magazine