Sixty years ago Whitefish artist James Bakke sent a drawing of Queen Elizabeth to Buckingham Palace, only to have the artwork returned with a gracious note saying Her Majesty couldn’t accept the gift.

Bakke nevertheless continued his lifelong fascination with England’s royal family and visited London twice, the last time for Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s wedding in 1981. He’s painted numerous portraits of Queen Elizabeth, following her reign closely for six decades.

She was a princess about to be crowned queen in February 1952 when Bakke shipped off the portrait to England.

“I created quite a sensation at the Whitefish Post Office when I took it to be mailed to the Queen of England,” Bakke recalled.

As Queen Elizabeth celebrated her Diamond Jubilee this year, Bakke thought it was the perfect opportunity to send the queen a copy of the recently published book that features his artwork — “James R. Bakke, Montana Artist,” written and compiled by Donna Shane Hopkins of Whitefish. The book contains two of his renditions of Her Majesty, including the drawing he sent her 60 years ago.

This time around he was thrilled when a letter from Buckingham Palace arrived from England, thanking him for the book and well wishes.

The latest letter, on the same style of palace stationery sent six decades ago, was written by the queen’s lady-in-waiting.

“The Queen wishes me to write and thank you, and Donna Hopkins, for your letter enclosing a splendid book about you and your work which you have sent to her Majesty as a present on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee,” Lady-in-Waiting Susan Hussey wrote. “The Queen was very touched by your kind thought in sending her this gift which has given her much pleasure.”

Hopkins said Bakke, 81, is “thrilled” with the response. It’s all the more memorable with all eyes currently on London for the Olympic Summer Games.

Bakke kept the 1952 letter from the Queen and it’s included in his book.

Hopkins, who has known Bakke since 1979 when she lived with her grandmother in Whitefish for a time, mulled the idea of a book about his artwork for several years after she retired and moved back to Whitefish in 2005. She began to discover just how expansive Bakke’s work was and realized time was of the essence to tell her friend’s story.

With a style that’s reminiscent of renowned Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh, much of Bakke’s work featuresdeliberate brush strokes and vivid colors. Many of his early paintings, including one of his portraits of Queen Elizabeth, were done in Crayola crayons.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.