Prince Philip 'quite nice' about new portrait

The Prince sat for four one-hour sittings for the portrait

A new portrait of the Duke of Edinburgh is to go on display this week, depicting him in his role as Colonel in Chief of the Queen's Royal Hussars.

The oil portrait was commissioned by the regiment and painted by artist Jemma Phipps.

She has previously painted portraits of the Queen and the Prince of Wales.

Ms Phipps said: "He was quite nice about it. He said 'They should be pleased with that.' It was lovely to get some kind of comment."

The Duke posed for the painting in the Yellow Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace last October and November.

Ms Phipps said painting him was "a huge honour and very enjoyable".

She added: "It was really fun. I hope it shows his strong sense of duty. He also has a good sense of humour and can tell a good anecdote - he kept me on my toes."

The first of four hour-long sittings saw the Duke posing in his military uniform before switching to more comfortable clothing for the remaining sessions.

"He was as still as anything and so professional," Ms Phipps said. "He didn't move at all, which is quite a feat seeing as he is 90. Most of my sitters would probably complain, but he didn't."

The portrait will be shown at the Mall Galleries in central London from May 3 to 18 as part of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters Exhibition. It will then be transported to the regiment's officers' mess in Germany.

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams, press consultant for the gallery, said the painting was "absolutely superb, and one of the finest portraits that has been painted of a member of the royal family".