Philippa Langley's Quest for Justice Left in the Shadows of Leicester University's Disregard
It has been 15 years since Philippa Langley embarked on a mission that would change history - to find the remains of King Richard III, the last Plantagenet king of England. Her perseverance and determination were unprecedented, yet her story was all but forgotten when she finally succeeded in locating the monarch's remains.
The Channel 4 documentary "The King in the Car Park" brought Langley's remarkable journey to light, showcasing an amateur who refused to be defined by her lack of credentials. I met her for lunch, and despite frail health and vulnerability, her integrity shone through in every conversation we had about her quest.
When Jeff Pope and I turned this story into a screenplay, "The Lost King", we aimed to give Langley the platform she so rightly deserved. Unfortunately, Leicester University's treatment of her left much to be desired. Richard Taylor, the former deputy registrar at the university, seems to have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to undermine Langley's efforts and silence her story.
In the film, we depicted Taylor as imperfect and sometimes challenging, yet ultimately, he sought to remove any representation of Langley from official records. This is a case of academic integrity compromised by self-interest.
Langley's decision to pursue this impossible task was met with dismissiveness, even ridicule. However, it was she who initiated the search for Richard III and ultimately determined the precise location where his remains were found. When the dig was in peril due to funding withdrawal, Langley raised crucial funds to ensure its survival.
Meanwhile, Richard Taylor's claims of needing a firewall between the university and Langley are suspiciously convenient. It is clear that he sought to erase her contribution from history, silencing any potential criticisms of the university's actions during this tumultuous period.
It is time for accountability. An inquiry into the University of Leicester's behavior would provide an opportunity to examine Taylor's role in erasing Langley's achievements and the motivations behind his efforts.
In contrast, "The Lost King" stands as a testament to Langley's courage and determination. It is available for all to see and serves as a reminder that even the most improbable stories can become the stuff of history with the right voice and platform.
It has been 15 years since Philippa Langley embarked on a mission that would change history - to find the remains of King Richard III, the last Plantagenet king of England. Her perseverance and determination were unprecedented, yet her story was all but forgotten when she finally succeeded in locating the monarch's remains.
The Channel 4 documentary "The King in the Car Park" brought Langley's remarkable journey to light, showcasing an amateur who refused to be defined by her lack of credentials. I met her for lunch, and despite frail health and vulnerability, her integrity shone through in every conversation we had about her quest.
When Jeff Pope and I turned this story into a screenplay, "The Lost King", we aimed to give Langley the platform she so rightly deserved. Unfortunately, Leicester University's treatment of her left much to be desired. Richard Taylor, the former deputy registrar at the university, seems to have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to undermine Langley's efforts and silence her story.
In the film, we depicted Taylor as imperfect and sometimes challenging, yet ultimately, he sought to remove any representation of Langley from official records. This is a case of academic integrity compromised by self-interest.
Langley's decision to pursue this impossible task was met with dismissiveness, even ridicule. However, it was she who initiated the search for Richard III and ultimately determined the precise location where his remains were found. When the dig was in peril due to funding withdrawal, Langley raised crucial funds to ensure its survival.
Meanwhile, Richard Taylor's claims of needing a firewall between the university and Langley are suspiciously convenient. It is clear that he sought to erase her contribution from history, silencing any potential criticisms of the university's actions during this tumultuous period.
It is time for accountability. An inquiry into the University of Leicester's behavior would provide an opportunity to examine Taylor's role in erasing Langley's achievements and the motivations behind his efforts.
In contrast, "The Lost King" stands as a testament to Langley's courage and determination. It is available for all to see and serves as a reminder that even the most improbable stories can become the stuff of history with the right voice and platform.
she's literally changed the game, finding king richard iii after everyone else gave up on her... it's wild that leicester university tried to silence her story though 
richard taylor's behavior is super shady tbh. he was supposed to be helping langley but really he was just trying to cover his own behinds 
anyway, i'm loving the fact that there's a film about her journey now - "the lost king" sounds like an amazing way to share her story with the world 
it's so important to give people who are often overlooked or underappreciated the recognition they deserve. langley's integrity and determination are a total inspiration 
Leicester University just wants to sweep Philippa Langley's incredible story under the rug, but I'm not buying it 
. This Richard Taylor guy is up to something shady 
, trying to erase her name from history and cover his own tracks 
. It's like he's more concerned about maintaining his own integrity than doing what's right 
. Langley deserves way more credit for her tireless efforts than this... she's the real hero here 
. The film "The Lost King" is a must-watch, by the way 
. It's all about showcasing Langley's bravery and determination in the face of adversity 
. But let's not forget the truth: someone needs to hold Taylor accountable for his actions 
.
, she was literally digging for proof in a car park 
. And what really gets me is how Leicester Uni tried to take away her credit for it 
. I mean, come on, if someone says they've found a historical site and they're willing to risk everything to prove it, you should be all for them 
? Erasing her from records just because she wouldn't shut up? No thanks 
. Langley deserves so much credit for what she accomplished and I'm glad someone finally gave it to her in the film 
.
. We need to know more about how they kept quiet while Langley was doing all the hard work 
.
. Langley's the real hero here, and it's time someone called out Leicester Uni for their BS. A proper inquiry is due - we need to know what really went down 
. And by the way, "The Lost King" doc is a great reminder that even the most unlikely stories can change history 
Philippa Langley's story deserves so much more recognition 
, considering she risked everything to find King Richard III's remains. Leicester University's response to her was pretty shady 
. It's weird he wanted to keep Langley's contributions under wraps 
, given she basically saved the dig from collapse 
. An investigation would be a great way to clear the air and give credit where it's due 
. "The Lost King" doc is a must-watch 
. I'm all for academic integrity, but it sounds like he's just trying to protect his own skin. Langley did the hard work of finding Richard III and saving that dig, yet they're trying to silence her? No thanks! 
. And to Philippa Langley, I'm so proud of you for standing up for yourself and telling your story – you deserve all the recognition in the world 
I gotta say, this whole story is wild 
.
It's like he's trying to cover up his own tracks or something.
. I mean, they're always going on about academic integrity, but when it comes down to it, they're just looking out for themselves 
.
Not at all! Instead, they tried to silence her story and erase her contributions from history 
. It's like they wanted to keep her achievements hidden behind a "firewall" 
, but I'm not buying it 
I mean, can you believe they tried to erase her from official records? It's like, she was the one who found Richard III's remains, for crying out loud! She raised all that money to save the dig when it was on the line... what did she get in return? A whisper campaign and a guy trying to silence her story 
. I mean, Philippa Langley was basically doing her own thing on the side while they were just sitting back collecting checks... meanwhile, Richard Taylor is making a mess behind the scenes trying to cover his own tracks 
15 yrs on & her achievement deserves more recognition than just bein ignored. Leicester university should be held accountable 4 their shady treatment of her too. its all about who r the real heroes here 
. But you know what? her determination was just like when I used to spend hours playing Age of Empires with my friends online, we were all about persevering and making our stories known 
.
.
i cant believe richard taylor is tryna erase her from history tho 
"the lost king" film is like the perfect tribute to philippa langley's courage and determination