Richard III deserves a re-appraisal, says man linked to skeleton under car park Saliva swabbed from Mr Ibsen's mouth could be about to unlock the 500-year-old secret about where the king is buried. Last September a team of archaeologists claimed that bones found beneath a Leicester car park could be those of the king. The skeleton has a curved spine, cleaved skull and an arrow in its back. Speaking about the discovery Mr Ibsen said that his family was "surprised" but not completely astonished. All of us thought, it's really interesting but a bit abstract. I do have my moments when I think this is extraordinary," he told The Times. He added: "But you also think, what if there's an interloper in the 17th century or someone who was adopted, then there will be no DNA connection." I don't think they expected in their wildest dreams that they would find a skeleton like that. As it turned out, the remains they found are so likely that the DNA would seem to be the icing on the cake. Mr Ibsen recently visited the archaeological site where the bones were found. They dig a hole in the ground and there's the skeleton. You could see why people think he was willing enough to be found in some way. Standing in front of this hole, thinking, Richard III was here for 500 years, I thought how extraordinary. There were Victorian brick foundations next to it - they had missed the remains probably by about a foot. Even if I had no connection with this I would be astonished at the way things have happened," he said.