Philippa Langley's Quest: A Profound Injustice
Fifteen years ago, Philippa Langley embarked on a mission to find the remains of King Richard III, an impossible task that seemed like a fool's errand. Yet, she persevered, driven by an inner conviction and diligent research. Her groundbreaking achievement was met with silence from the media, leaving her largely unknown.
The Channel 4 documentary The King in the Car Park brought Langley to light, showcasing her eccentricity and obsessive nature. After meeting her representatives, Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope co-wrote a screenplay to tell Langley's story, which had been overshadowed by bigger voices.
Their film, The Lost King, shines a spotlight on Langley's journey from Edinburgh to Leicester, where she discovered the archaeological discovery of the century. The movie depicts Richard Buckley as a champion of Philippa but also portrays him with feet of clay. Her ex-husband John Langley is shown as loyal yet sometimes impatient with her obsessiveness.
The film highlights Langley's struggles with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and chronic fatigue syndrome, which forced her to testify in court without her presence being felt. The case led to Richard Taylor, the former deputy registrar at Leicester University, claiming that he had created a firewall between the university and Langley. Steve Coogan applauds this move.
The film's portrayal of events has sparked controversy, with some questioning why Philippa was not hailed as a hero by the University of Leicester. The institution preferred to downplay her role in finding the king's remains. Coogan argues that Langley is often referred to as an "amateur," which is unfair given her tireless efforts.
Taylor has called for an inquiry into the university's behavior during this tumultuous period, and Steve Coogan welcomes such a debate. The Lost King was never meant to be about sensationalism but rather to give voice to Philippa Langley's remarkable achievement.
In reality, Richard Taylor and the University of Leicester are seen as the Goliath in this David and Goliath story, while Langley is the underdog who uncovered the remains of a 500-year-old dead king. The Lost King is now available for all to see, allowing people to draw their own conclusions about this remarkable saga.
Coogan's sentiments reflect a desire for transparency and accountability. By sharing Langley's story, he hopes that the public can form their own opinions about the events surrounding her discovery. The Lost King offers an opportunity for viewers to understand Philippa Langley's dedication and perseverance in uncovering a piece of history that had been lost for centuries.
Ultimately, this film serves as a testament to Langley's unwavering spirit and determination. It is a celebration of her achievement and a reminder of the importance of recognizing those who have made significant contributions to our understanding of history.
Fifteen years ago, Philippa Langley embarked on a mission to find the remains of King Richard III, an impossible task that seemed like a fool's errand. Yet, she persevered, driven by an inner conviction and diligent research. Her groundbreaking achievement was met with silence from the media, leaving her largely unknown.
The Channel 4 documentary The King in the Car Park brought Langley to light, showcasing her eccentricity and obsessive nature. After meeting her representatives, Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope co-wrote a screenplay to tell Langley's story, which had been overshadowed by bigger voices.
Their film, The Lost King, shines a spotlight on Langley's journey from Edinburgh to Leicester, where she discovered the archaeological discovery of the century. The movie depicts Richard Buckley as a champion of Philippa but also portrays him with feet of clay. Her ex-husband John Langley is shown as loyal yet sometimes impatient with her obsessiveness.
The film highlights Langley's struggles with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and chronic fatigue syndrome, which forced her to testify in court without her presence being felt. The case led to Richard Taylor, the former deputy registrar at Leicester University, claiming that he had created a firewall between the university and Langley. Steve Coogan applauds this move.
The film's portrayal of events has sparked controversy, with some questioning why Philippa was not hailed as a hero by the University of Leicester. The institution preferred to downplay her role in finding the king's remains. Coogan argues that Langley is often referred to as an "amateur," which is unfair given her tireless efforts.
Taylor has called for an inquiry into the university's behavior during this tumultuous period, and Steve Coogan welcomes such a debate. The Lost King was never meant to be about sensationalism but rather to give voice to Philippa Langley's remarkable achievement.
In reality, Richard Taylor and the University of Leicester are seen as the Goliath in this David and Goliath story, while Langley is the underdog who uncovered the remains of a 500-year-old dead king. The Lost King is now available for all to see, allowing people to draw their own conclusions about this remarkable saga.
Coogan's sentiments reflect a desire for transparency and accountability. By sharing Langley's story, he hopes that the public can form their own opinions about the events surrounding her discovery. The Lost King offers an opportunity for viewers to understand Philippa Langley's dedication and perseverance in uncovering a piece of history that had been lost for centuries.
Ultimately, this film serves as a testament to Langley's unwavering spirit and determination. It is a celebration of her achievement and a reminder of the importance of recognizing those who have made significant contributions to our understanding of history.
i mean, 15 years of doing this thing and still no recognition? that's just wild. and to be real, the university of leicester was being super shady about her whole deal too 
steve coogan for calling out richard taylor and the uni for trying to downplay langley's role in finding king richard iii... about time someone spoke truth to power 
. It's like we're more focused on the glitz and glamour than the actual human being who made it all possible. I mean, what does that say about our society? Are we so enamored with sensationalism that we can't be bothered to give credit where credit is due?
. I mean, who needs the glamour of being a "hero" when you've got something like that beating inside? 
. Steve Coogan's welcome for an inquiry into this behavior is long overdue!
It's cool that Taylor is pushing for an inquiry into what went down at the university. Transparency and accountability are key, especially when it comes to history like this. And now we get to see Langley's whole journey in a film that's actually pretty well-made 
. I'm curious to hear people's thoughts on it and whether they think she was treated fairly by the university. 
I mean, can you imagine having your life's work ignored by the media and being reduced to "eccentric" and "obsessive"? 
It's crazy how she was basically a trailblazer in finding King Richard III's remains, only to have her story overshadowed by bigger names. But now we get to see her incredible journey on screen, and it's honestly so inspiring! 
The way the film highlights her struggles with ME and chronic fatigue syndrome is also really important, as it shows us that even in the midst of adversity, she refused to give up. I'm all about transparency and accountability, and Steve Coogan is speaking truth to power by calling out Richard Taylor's claims and the University of Leicester's initial silence on Langley's role. It's time for everyone to acknowledge her heroism and dedication! 
. I think it's time we started giving more recognition to people who are willing to go against the grain and take on seemingly impossible challenges 
...
It's like she was an underdog, taking on this massive task alone. And now we know the real story behind her discovery, including the controversy with Richard Taylor and the University of Leicester 
. It's all about giving credit where credit is due, you know? 
. And the University of Leicester's response to her findings? Completely unacceptable! 
. Its like, if we're gonna celebrate Langley's achievement, we should also be looking into how things went down behind the scenes 
.
. Langley's determination and perseverance are like, totally admirable 
. And who knows, maybe we'll even get to see some justice served 
, 15 yrs ago people thought she was crazy for searching for Richard III remains 
. It's not all rainbows and unicorns, she has to deal w/ ME & chronic fatigue syndrome 
, that's no easy feat 
, trying to downplay Langley's role in finding the king's remains 
, transparency is key 
.
, now everyone can see what really went down 
. And can we please give her some credit for dealing with ME and chronic fatigue while still doing her thing? 
.
, but I guess they were too busy being all quiet and stuff for 15 years. It's kinda crazy that there was even a debate about how to portray her in the movie, especially since she has ME 
. And can we talk about how Richard Taylor is trying to turn this into an inquiry? 
, she really does deserve more recognition for her tireless efforts in finding King Richard III's remains 
.
I'm totally loving this new docu series 'The Lost King' about Philippa Langley! She's literally an unsung hero 
, but she didn't give up! The film does a great job of showing her dedication and perseverance, especially with her struggles with ME and chronic fatigue syndrome 
.
.
. The Lost King is more than just a film about Richard III - it's a celebration of Langley's dedication and determination 
. It humanizes her in a way that makes us root for her even more 
This is a huge deal in history and you're trying to downplay it? Not cool! 
. I need to see this story come to life on screen. And who knows, maybe it'll inspire me to take on a crazy project of my own 
. Bring it on! 