AN eminent historian, whose research was instrumental in the discovery of the remains of King Richard III, has received an MBE from another royal.

Dr John Ashdown-Hill established the vital DNA link to prove the skeleton, found under a Leicester car park, was that of the missing monarch who died after the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.

He was made a Member of the British Empire at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

Dr Ashdown-Hill said: "It was absolutely fantastic.

"All the paperwork behind it was formal and quite intimidating so I was a bit scared when I was going to the ceremony. But when I got there, it was wonderful.

"Everyone was so kind and welcoming. People who received me knew what I had done and wanted to talk to me about it."

Dr Ashdown-Hill was invested by the Queen and he said she believed was interested in the discovery.

"Of course, the Queen was descended from Richard's mother and father so she is a close relative.

"During our work, we were not sure what the Royal family, as living relatives, thought about it.

"I think it was clear she had been interested in it all along.

"I think she was glad we had done it and she talked to me about the DNA."

It was Dr Ashdown-Hill’s book, The Last Days of Richard III, which sparked the search for Richard III's remains.

The battle-scarred skeleton was subsequently found and in February 2013, it was confirmed to be that of Richard III.

The vital evidence establishing his identity was due to painstaking research by Dr Ashdown Hill, who traced the bloodline of Richard’s eldest sister, Anne of York, to a direct living descendant.

Dr Ashdown-Hill, who lives in Manningtree, was honoured for “services to the exhumation and identification of Richard III”.