Culture: North-east woman to deliver Queen’s portrait to Buckingham Palace herself.
A north-east artist showed off her crowning glory yesterday after her portrait of The Queen was officially accepted into the royal collection.
Nicole Porter will personally delivery the painting to Buckingham Palace next month.
Miss Porter, who completed the work at her gallery in Aberdeen’s King Street, said she was thrilled by the honour.
“The Queen, to me, is the ultimate subject matter, so I just felt that I really wanted to paint her. I felt there was a side of her that hadn’t been captured and I wanted to do that.”
The royal collection comprises more than a million objects covering all areas of fine and decorative arts, and is one of the largest collections in the world.
Miss Porter’s painting will join works from artists including Reubens, Rembrandt and Leonardo da Vinci.
Her portrait features the monarch who celebrated her 88th birthday on Monday, in a pink dress, coat and hat, wearing a pearl necklace.
It was based on a photograph taken by Miss Porter at last year’s Braemar Gathering.
The artist, who is originally from Ellon, said: “That’s what she was wearing last year at the games when I was there.
“I’ve gone in previous years when I was younger an always liked the atmosphere and thought it was a really great event.
“I wanted to portray her in a softer way, as a grandmother, rather than the usual austere exterior. It seems appropriate because she seems happy when she’s up here.”
The portrait was spotted in Miss Porter’s studio by a collector, who thought the Queen should see it.
She sent a photograph of the work, and shortly after she received a letter from Buckingham Palace accepting the piece into the royal collection.
Miss Porter said: “It’s quite overwhelming.
“When I got that letter, I just couldn’t believe it.
“It’s an honour to have her say she likes it and wants it in the collection, a real honour.”