Bert and Patti Newton’s enduring love captured in Archibald portrait. See the painting here.

Patti Newton says part of her will always be missing after the death of her beloved husband Bert, but the family feels his presence.

Patti Newton says she still feels Bert’s presence around her following his death last year. Picture: Andrew Tauber

Patti Newton has revealed she feels her beloved husband, Bert’s, presence around her as she comes to terms with his passing.

The TV legend passed away on October 30 last year, aged 83, after a long battle with ill-health.

“I miss him terribly, there will always be a little part of me missing,” Newton said.

“But I am also realistic enough to know life has to go on and it will.

“We do feel his presence a lot of the time, particularly the kids (Bert’s six grandchildren). “They are always seeing a yellow butterfly and being excited because they feel Poppy is around and looking after us.

“I am taking this year easy and trying to come to terms with everything. I am grateful for everyone’s care and love, it means a lot.”

Patti Newton has been painted for the 2022 Archibald Prize. Picture: Supplied

The painting features Bert smiling down on his wife from the moon. Picture: Supplied

Newton has had her portrait painted for the Archibald Prize by artist Margaret Dawson and Bert is very much a part of the artwork, smiling down at Patti from the moon.

“He knew about it and he liked the idea (of her sitting for the portrait),” Newton said.

“I love that the moon is looking at me and it is Bert’s face.

“It is nice when someone passes that there are still things happening that they knew about, I feel that is a good thing.”

Newton said the support of family and friends was helping through her heartbreak.

“Lauren (her daughter) and I, we find that we never stop thinking about him,” she said.

“In a way that is a good thing, and I would not want it any other way and he would not want it any other way. He was such an amazing part of everything we did and he would be an instigator, years gone by, of making it bigger than Ben-Hur, really.

“I miss him terribly and I miss all those conversations we would have.

“When things happen, particularly with the grandkids, I want to tell him, but he is not there.”

Newton said she had great sympathy for anyone dealing with the loss of a loved one.

“It happens to everyone and I don’t want to sound as though I am the only person that has ever gone through this,” she said.