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Some 10,000 people turned out in Stratford, central England, to see a parade revved up by a New Orleans jazz band.Prince Charles joined top British actors live on stage in a surprise crack at playing “Hamlet”, as thousands of William Shakespeare fans packed The Bard’s hometown for the 400th anniversary of his death on Saturday. The heir to the throne joined the likes of Judi Dench, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ian McKellen and David Tennant at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon for the culmination of a day of parades, dancing and fireworks.et” was set.

Archaeologists believe they are on the cusp of shedding new light on the life of William Shakespeare – by digging up what may have been the playwright’s cesspit. Experts have begun excavating the ruins of New Place, Shakespeare’s former home in Stratford-upon-Avon, which was demolished 250 years ago. Although little remains of the property, the team, led by Birmingham Archaeology, believes it has identified a rubbish tip or cesspit used by the 16th century poet. Fragments of pottery and broken clay pipe have already been retrieved from a muddy hole on the site, which they claim could yield some of...

Archaeologists are preparing to excavate the site of Shakespeare's final home to find out more about the history of the building. The New Place, in Stratford-upon-Avon, was built in 1483 and is thought to be where the playwright died in 1616. The building itself was demolished in 1759, but it is thought remains of the old house are still underground. Archaeologists will start initial tests on the site on Tuesday and a full dig could be carried out next year. The experts from Birmingham Archaeology will be searching for the foundations of the New Place and will be looking through...

Controversial plans to dig up William Shakespeare's grave, to find out whether he was murdered by his son-in-law, have been revealed by American scientists. The US experts, who are convinced the Bard's death was anything but natural, are hoping to be granted permission by his descendants to exhume his body. Shakespeare died on his birthday on April 23, 1616, and was buried two days later at Stratford-upon-Avon's Holy Trinity Church. His grave has remained untouched for more than 350 years, but now American pathologists want to disturb his resting place, in spite of warnings of a curse on Shakespeare's tomb...