A reporter who served on two now-defunct regional dailies before going on to become the long-serving royal correspondent of The Times has died aged 70.

Alan Hamilton began his career on the Burnley Evening Star before joining the Hemel Hempstead Evening Post where he covered industrial relations.

He moved to The Times in 1969 at the age of 26 as labour reporter and was appointed to the royal beat in 1982.

Alan went on to hold the post for more than 25 years before his retirement in 2008.

Among his scoops was revealing Prince Philip’s “slitty eyes” remark about the Chinese, made while speaking to British students in Xi’an ni 1986.

Alan died last Wednesday, 28 August, from a heart attack.  He leaves a son.