Hughes, who lived a reclusive life in Devon and kept his illness secret from all but those closest to him, died in a London hospital.

The Queen, who appointed him Poet Laureate in 1984 and awarded him the Order of Merit the month of his death, was "very saddened" to learn of his death. A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said: "The Queen will be in touch with his family. She was grateful for the opportunity to recognise his work and achievements before he died."

Tony Blair said he received the news of Hughes's death "with great sadness" and described the poet as "a towering figure in 20th century literature".

Hughes's career had long been overshadowed by the controversy surrounding the suicide of his first wife, the American poet Sylvia Plath. Her devotees accused him of causing her death in 1963 at the end of their short marriage.

Hughes, who had kept silent about the relationship, surprised the literary world by publishing Birthday Letters, a collection of pieces about Plath written over a quarter of a century. The work won critical acclaim and earned him the Forward Poetry Prize.

Matthew Evans, chairman of Faber and Faber, said Hughes had felt compelled to publish Birthday Letters because he knew that he was dying. He said: "It was the nearest thing to an autobiography. The publication was a very important moment for him."

Hughes is survived by his wife Carol, and by a son, Nicholas, and daughter, Frieda, from his first marriage.

Copyright The Daily Telegraph (2004)