IT doesn't take two invitations for us to celebrate the history and the heritage of the Faithful City. Few communities, after all, have such a wealth of either in their midst.

In Worcester, much of it has significance on a world scale too.

How many other cities would wish to be able to boast being home to the final resting place of King John, the tyrant monarch forced into signing the first effective bill of rights, the Magna Carta?

How many would wish to be forever linked to the development of Parliamentary democracies through a rich Civil War history? Hundreds.

We'd argue, however, there's nothing more potentially enticing or important than Worcester Cathedral being the final resting place of Prince Arthur - and the work being carried out to determine whether or not he was murdered.

It can be viewed on several fascinating levels. In essence, it's Brother Cadfael meets Inspector Morse meets Time Team.

The experts are a long way from proving whether a foul deed or fate were responsible for the boy Prince's death.

But the particularly gripping reason for hoping the Queen will, at some point, be asked for permission to exhume his remains and submit them to toxicology tests - and that she'll give it - is summarised by Professor John Hunter, the man deeply involved in trying to unravel the mystery.

"If it's discovered that he was poisoned, Henry VIII would not have been king and subsequently we would not have had the Church of England."

What a slice of history that would be.