Former Belfast Telegraph editor Ed Curran has collected his OBE from Buckingham Palace.

Ed, now editor-in-chief of Independent News and Media’s Northern Ireland newspaper titles, received the award for services to journalism.

In a ceremony attended by his wife Pauline, children Jonathan and Claire and brother Stanley, Ed was presented with his award by Prince Charles.

It followed his nomination for the medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list earlier this year.

Ed said the ceremony was a “wonderful occasion”, and that Prince Charles had stood in at the ceremony in place of the Queen, who is suffering from a bad back.

He said: “The Prince of Wales spoke to each of the recipients and when I spoke to him we talked about my lifetime in journalism.

“He asked me about the Northern Ireland situation and the prospects for an agreement between the parties.

“He was interested in what I thought and I told him I thought Northern Ireland was a vastly improved country but whether or not we arrive at a deal is in the lap of the gods.”

Ed edited the Telegraph from 1993 to 2005, and had worked at the paper in different roles since 1966.

He was deputy editor of the paper from 1974 until 1988 when he was appointed launch editor of the Sunday Life, and was president of the Society of Editors in 2000-2001.