British actor Alan Rickman has died of cancer aged 69. He leaves behind wife Rima Horton.

Rickman was one of Hollywood's most respected actors and has played central roles in numerous blockbusters through the decades.

His busy acting schedule had often meant that he kept his private life more hidden, however, in 2012 he made his love life more public when it was found out that he had secretly married his high school sweetheart, Rima Horton.

It has been reported that Rickman initially met his high school sweetheart in 1965 when he was just 19 years old. Horton at the time was one year younger at 18 years of age.

They are believed to have been close from the start but even though their relationship was always close they never moved in with one another until 1977. They remained a couple since then, and for nearly 50 years they remained with one another until his untimely death this week at the age of 69.

The British actor is famous for his roles as Professor Severus Snape in the ugly successfully Harry Potter series. He also played one of the most popular villains in action movies, when he portrayed Hans Gruber in hit film Die Hard in 1988.

Film fans will also know Rickman as playing another "baddy" in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, which also starred Kevin Costner. Rickman played the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham.

Most recently Rickman was one of the man characters in hit rom-com film Love Actually.

Rickman leaves behind his wife, but the couple never had any children together.