RICHARD III will be buried in a £1million tomb in Leicester Cathedral, it has been announced.

The news came on the day a reconstruction of the head and face of Richard III went on show at the Yorkshire Museum in York where it will remain until October.

The replica head – made using detailed scans of the king’s skull – will take pride of place in a new display looking at what is really known about the last Yorkist monarch.

It is part of York’s city-wide programme of events marking the importance of Richard III to the city.

The remains of the king, who died in battle in 1485, were discovered by archaeologists under a car park in September.

The skeleton is due to be reinterred at the cathedral in May 2014, a move which has upset some campaigners who have suggested he should be buried in York.

The new plans for Leicester Cathedral devote a “significant space” for the tomb, with a new floor, lighting and stained-glass windows. In the plans, the coffin is standing on a rose.

Philippa Langley, Originator of the Looking for Richard project, said: “I am thrilled that the last warrior King of England is to be honoured with a tomb and that Yorkshire stone is being investigated as the material for it.

"We had always hoped that any design would convey what was important to Richard in his life but also his move into the light of a new future for his much-maligned reputation. The white rose, I believe, conveys this aspect beautifully and the designers, Cathedral and staff are to be congratulated on all their hard work.”

The Richard III Society, which was involved with the excavation which found the king’s grave, had expressed disappointment over earlier proposals for a simple slab tomb but said it was pleased with the latest design.

The decision to lay Richard to rest in the cathedral is being challenged by the group called The Plantagenet Alliance, which includes distant relatives of the king, as he had expressed a desire to be laid to rest at York Minster.

A decision on a judicial review of the plans is expected in the coming weeks.