A PORTRAIT of the Queen painted by a Suffolk artist to celebrate this year's golden jubilee was due to be unveiled today at a ceremony in London.Nigerian-born Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy completed the specially-commissioned work at her studio at Glevering Mill, near Wickham Market and the event will be held at Marlborough House, the headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat, to mark Commonwealth Day.

A PORTRAIT of the Queen painted by a Suffolk artist to celebrate this year's golden jubilee was due to be unveiled today at a ceremony in London.

Nigerian-born Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy completed the specially-commissioned work at her studio at Glevering Mill, near Wickham Market and the event will be held at Marlborough House, the headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat, to mark Commonwealth Day.

The full-length portrait shows the Queen standing at the window of a room in Buckingham Palace and beyond the balcony is a composite view of some of the best-known sights in the Commonwealth, including the Sydney Opera House, the Houses of Parliament and the Taj Mahal.

The Queen sat five times for Ms Chukwuogo-Roy, an experience the artist enjoyed immensely.

She said: "The Queen is a great communicator. She's observant, humorous, interesting and generous with her time.

"I hope I have succeeded in capturing some of these qualities in my painting. I also wanted to refer to the past and the present, and to show that the strength of the Commonwealth lies in its cultural diversity."

Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon said: "We are delighted with the painting's inspired depiction of the Commonwealth, and its dignified portrayal of the Queen, who has achieved so much in nurturing and encouraging our family of nations."

After its unveiling, the painting will be included in an exhibition of portraits by Ms Chukwuogo-Roy at the Royal Commonwealth Society, Northumberland Avenue, London.

The exhibition will then tour to The Forum, Norwich, in time for the Queen's Jubilee visit in July, before moving to the Lowry Centre, Salford, for the Commonwealth Games in the same month.