The king, the last Plantagenet, ruled England from 1483 until he was defeated and killed at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. It is believed his body was brought to Leicester - but the exact whereabouts of the church have become lost over time. Old maps were used to work out that the Franciscan Friary, demolished in 1538, would have been where the car park now stands.
If human remains are found, DNA will be used to hopefully prove or disprove that the body is that of Richard III. Canadian furniture maker Michael Ibsen, 55, is the nephew on the 17th generation of the monarch. His late mother Joy, who died four years ago aged 85, was the niece in the 16th generation of Anne of York - the sister of Richard III. The assumption is that Mr. Ibsen would carry mitochondrial DNA matching that of Richard III.
Archaeologists will use ground-penetrating radar to help find the best places to dig.
If Royal remains are found, they will be reinterred at Leicester Cathedral.
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