A CONSERVATIONIST from Bucks has spoken of the time he talked with the new king of Nepal.

King Gyanendra was crowned on Monday after his brother King Birendra was killed, along with nine other royals, by the crown Prince Dipendra, after a family argument.

Dipendra was crowned king on Saturday, despite shooting himself and lapsing into a coma. But he later died of his injuries.

John Brown, 65, of Wykeham Way, Haddenham, spoke to King Gyanendra, at a symposium to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the World Pheasant Association (WPA) in autumn last year.

The king, then still a prince, opened the conference in Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, which is home to many different species of endangered pheasant.

Mr Brown, vice-chairman of the WPA for the last six years, said: "My impression of him is of a very intelligent person and absolutely dedicated to conservation and the opening up of Nepal."

But he fears for him as the king, with Maoist rebels threatening the Asian country's democracy.

The husband of a senior officer in the Nepalese foreign service, Kul Luintel, who lives in Chesham, said he was deeply shocked by the events.

He said: "King Birendra had an extremely simple and charming personality and was such a personable man."