No 'sideshow' sendoff for Richard III

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LEICESTER, England, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Officials in Leicester, England, say they are considering ways for the public to pay its respects to the newly identified skeleton of King Richard III.

The Church of England's Leicester Diocese has said the royal bones would not be put on display before being formally reburied -- leaving open the question of what to do about a public farewell for the monarch, who died in battle in 1485 and became the subject of one of William Shakespeare's most famous plays.

"No decisions have been made but I do not think we would be disposed to displaying the bones," Liz Hudson, a diocesan spokeswoman, told BBC Radio this week. "To have them in a casket before re-interment could be an option.

"But I must stress it is very early in the process and we will be consulting widely on what is the best way forward."

The Daily Telegraph said Richard will be laid to rest at Leicester Cathedral in a formal ceremony sometime before August.

"Whatever is decided, we will not be turning it into a sideshow," Hudson said. "This is the cathedral for the people of Leicester and what will happen must be decided with great care and consideration."