While the discovery of the remains of Richard III in a Leicester car park have been met with much joy, it has also incurred the long-dead monarch over £10 Million in parking fees.
The long-overdue fine was handed to the remains by Leicester city council. While many have considered this unfair – his final resting place not being a parking space at the time – and many have appealed against the fine on his behalf, the council remain unflinching in their decision.
Many have pointed out the technicality that his former highness was under the space at the time, yet the council’s parking legislature states being in “the parking vicinity,” which they are claiming can apply to above as well as below.
Council spokeswoman Joyce Berknall said of the matter: “He was in the parking space for hundreds of years, and didn’t even have a ticket. Doing so results in a fine” … “It would be unfair for the council to extend an exception to the late Richard III just for being the former King of England.”
Given the monarch’s current status (deceased), it was considered passing on the fees have been passed on to his mutual descendant, Michael Ipsen, who immediately fought the decision: “First I find out I’m a descendant of Richard III and should technically be king, and now they’re trying to make me pay my ancestor’s huge parking fine. I’m not responsible for him, I didn’t tell him to park there.”
The remains of Richard III now have only thirty days to pay the fines, if he does not it could result in prosecution and a criminal record.