Rolf to paint royal portrait

Aussie cartoonist-turned-animal hospital presenter Rolf Harris will paint an official portrait of the queen.

14:17 14 May 2005

Aussie cartoonist-turned-animal hospital presenter Rolf Harris will paint an official portrait of the Queen.

The commission comes as part of the Queen's 80th birthday celebrations, which begin next April.

Her Majesty will have a formal sitting later this year that will be filmed by the BBC and screened as part of the Rolf on Art series next year.

The wobble-board wielding illustrator told the BBC that he was delighted at the commission and that he hoped to "represent the way the Queen looks and her obvious charm and friendly quality".

He assured royal fans that it would not be a traditional picture, but more a representation of her character.

Harris is a trained fine artist but is best known for programmes such as Rolf's Cartoon Club and Animal Hospital. His novelty songs of the 1960's, such as 'Tie me kangaroo down sport' and 'Two little boys' are as colourful as his drawings.