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3D reconstructions of Richard III's spine show he had a slight deformity that would have barely affected his appearance

Richard III may be the most famous hunchback in history but it appears his deformity was mightily exaggerated by Shakespeare.

Scans of his skeleton show he only had a slight deformity that would have barely affected his appearance or prowess on the field of battle, say scientists.

The notorious description by Shakespeare of a 'hunchback toad', a Machiavellian villain suffering a twisted body, a limp and withered arm, was almost certainly an attempt to blacken his reputation, claim experts.

Instead, a 3D reconstruction of the king's spine shows 65 to 85 degrees of 'scoliosis', or sideways bending of his spine to the right.

The condition, which would have developed in his early teens, means he was very far from being a hunchback.

Despite having one shoulder slightly higher than the other and a short trunk in comparison with his arms and legs, there is no evidence he walked with a limp.

The 'well balanced curve' of his spine could have been concealed by a good tailor and custom-built armour.

Unlike the hunchback depictions seen on stage and screen, his head and neck would have been straight, not tilted to one side.

Dr Phil Stone, chairman of the Richard III Society, said the recovery of the king's skeleton from beneath a Leicester car park in 2012 gave scientists an unrivalled opportunity to investigate the legend surrounding the last Plantagenet King of England.

Unlike the hunchback depictions seen on stage and screen, his head and neck would have been straight, not tilted to one side. Pictured is Antony Sher performing as Richard III in a play by the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1984

Scientists who carried out scans of the King's spine found it had a 'well balanced curve' that could have been concealed under clothes or armour. Pictured is a 3D reconstruction of Richard III's spine at different angles

The findings showed his deformities had been greatly exaggerated, he said.

'Examination of Richard III's remains show that he had a scoliosis, thus confirming that the Shakespearean description of a 'bunch-backed toad' is a complete fabrication - yet more proof that, while the plays are splendid dramas, they are also most certainly fiction not fact' he said.

'History tells us that Richard III was a great warrior.

'Clearly, he was little inconvenienced by his spinal problem and accounts of his appearance, written when he was alive, tell that he was 'of person and bodily shape comely enough' and that he 'was the most handsome man in the room after his brother, Edward IV' he added.

For the new study, published in The Lancet medical journal, researchers conducted a detailed analysis of the skeleton's spinal column.

Information from computed tomography (CT) X-ray scans and a 3D printer were used to create a plastic replica of the spine, which was photographed from 9 different directions.

The images were combined to produce an interactive picture that could be made accessible on websites.

KING RICHARD III: A CONTROVERSIAL MONARCH 

King Richard III was born in 1452 in Northamptonshire

Richard was born in 1452 at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire.

During the War of the Roses, Richard's father, Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York was killed and in 1470, Richard and his brother Edward were exiled when Henry VI, from the rival house of Lancaster, took back the throne.

Henry's reign was short lived and during a battle the following year, Edward became king.

In 1483, Edward died and Richard was named as protector of the realm for Edward's son and successor, the 12-year-old Edward V.

Edward V and his brother Richard were placed in the Tower of London and after a campaign to condemn the deceased king's marriage to Elizabeth Woodville, the princes were declared illegitimate.

Richard III took to the throne the following day.

He was crowned in July and in August that year, the two princes disappeared, Rumours spread the king had killed them to remove any threat they may have posed to his reign.

In 1485, Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond launched an attack on Richard III on Bosworth Field in Leicestershire.

Many of Richard III's key lieutenants defected and he was killed in battle. Henry Tudor took the throne as Henry VII.

It has been confirmed that Richard III had a curvature of the spine, although rumours of a withered arm haven't been verified form the bones found in the Leicester car park last year.

Last year scientists discovered the king was riddled with roundworm after finding large numbers of the parasite's eggs in soil taken from Richard III's pelvic region. The find suggests that the king's intestines were infected with roundworm during his life.

Information from computed tomography (CT) X-ray scans and a 3D printer were used to create a plastic replica of the spine shown from two different angles here

The king was killed at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, ending the Wars of the Roses and the Plantagenet dynasty. His body was taken to Leicester by supporters of victorious Henry VII and buried in Greyfriars church, which is now the site of the council car park. Pictured are Richard III's remains

Dr Piers Mitchell, a member of the research team from the division of biological anthropology, Cambridge University, said Shakespeare's famous description came more than 100 years after the king's death in 1485.

He said 'Shakespeare was writing in Tudor times, wanting to please Elizabeth I with a version of history that made her look good and Richard III look bad.

'Although the king had a spinal deformity, the play did not get the right one.'

Dr Jo Appleby, from the University of Leicester's School of Archaeology and Ancient History, who led the research, said 'Although the scoliosis looks dramatic, it probably did not cause a major physical deformity.

'This is because he had a well-balanced curve. The condition would have meant that his trunk was short in comparison to the length of his limbs, and his right shoulder would have been slightly higher than the left, but this could have been disguised by custom-made armour and by having a good tailor.

Richard III will be laid to rest at Leicester Cathedral after judges said it was time to give him a 'dignified burial'

The grave and skeletons of Richard III are shown here. Dr Jo Appleby, from the University of Leicester's School of Archaeology and Ancient History, who led the research, said 'Although the scoliosis looks dramatic, it probably did not cause a major physical deformity'

'A curve of 65-85 would not have prevented Richard from being an active individual, and there is no evidence that Richard had a limp as his curve was well balanced and his leg bones were normal and symmetric.'

Previous research suggests Richard III would have been about 5ft 8in tall without his deformity, about average for a medieval man. But his condition meant he would have appeared slightly shorter. 

The king was killed at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, ending the Wars of the Roses and the Plantagenet dynasty.

His body was taken to Leicester by supporters of victorious Henry VII and buried in Greyfriars church, which is now the site of the council car park.  

It was announced earlier this week that Richard III will finally be laid to rest at Leicester Cathedral after judges said it was time for the monarch to be given a 'dignified burial'.  

RICHARD III FINALLY GETS A 'FUNERAL CROWN' 

Crown was made by jewellery expert George Easton

His body was buried 600 years ago without any pomp and ceremony befitting of a king.

But now the traditional funeral crown that Richard III never had, has gone on display in York.

The golden headpiece was commissioned for the last king of the House of York by a leading historian who was involved in the archaeological dig that discovered Richard III's remains beneath a car park in Leicester.

Richard III was killed at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, ending the Wars of the Roses and the Plantagenet dynasty.

His body was taken to Leicester by supporters of victorious Henry VII and buried in Greyfriars church, which is now the site of the council car park.

Dr John Ashdown-Hill commissioned a 15th century-style gold-plated crown in tribute to the late king with white roses and gems. 

The crown was made by medieval jewellery expert George Easton who was inspired to create the design from historical artefacts such as relics and illustrations relating to the contentious monarch.

The historian had the idea of commissioning the crown when he was carrying the king's remains away from the archaeological site, having been involved in searching for the lost remains of the monarch.

The funeral crown is now on show at the Richard III Experience in York's Monk Bar – one of the medieval gateways to York.

It will go on tour around the UK before playing a part in the king's reburial at Leicester Cathedral.