A RENOWNED portrait painter whose subjects include the Queen and the Duke of Kent has just completed his latest work – the “Last Tommy” Harry Patch.

Michael McDonald said he was attracted to painting Mr Patch, who was the last surviving soldier to have fought in the First World War trenches, by the late veteran’s lovable character.

The work took the 64-year-old, known for his large-scale pieces produced remarkably quickly, just three days.

It will be used in educational activities for school children learning about the world wars before being offered to the Royal Society of Portrait Painters (RSPP), on The Mall, London.

Mr McDonald, who lives in the small village of Ludworth, near Durham, and paints despite suffering from extreme arthritis in his hands, said: “I read about Harry some time ago. I actually bumped into him once.

“I love his character. He’s wonderful.

“If I like someone, I’ll paint their portrait.”

The work, produced from a series of photographs of Mr Patch – who died in 2009 aged 111, is one of three Mr McDonald is submitting for the RSPP’s annual exhibition competition.

Born and schooled in London, Mr McDonald has been commissioned by Nelson Mandela, Henry Cooper and Sir Patrick Moore and produced an altar piece for the Holy Island of Iona.

He painted the Queen in 2006, being granted 25 minutes with Her Majesty at Buckingham Palace to get down enough detail to finish the piece later. The portrait is now held at Freemasons Hall, London.

Mr McDonald moved to the North-East in 2010 and runs free community art classes in Shadforth.

“There’s no point having knowledge unless you’re going to share it,” he said.

He was recently nominated for Aspire magazine’s Portrait Artist of the Year award.

For more information on Mr McDonald’s work, visit mcdonald-art.co.uk