You need to see this royal carriage from the 'last royal coachmaker'
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In a world where traditions are often forgotten, one man is determined to preserve a piece of history that’s as impressive as it is rare.
His journey is one of passion, dedication, and relentless pursuit, even in the face of immense personal challenges.
Keep reading to discover how he’s making history and why this project is unlike anything else.
At 74 years old, Jim Frecklington’s dedication to his craft remains undiminished, even as he battles cancer.
Known as ‘the world’s last royal coachmaker’, Frecklington has spent decades reviving a long-lost art, and his latest masterpiece—a royal carriage for King Charles III—is shaping up to be his magnum opus.
Born in Peak Hill, central-west New South Wales, Frecklington’s connection to the British Royal Family began in London, where he worked in their equestrian stables.
His journey to becoming a royal coachmaker started after the late Queen Elizabeth II remarked that the old royal coaches were ‘too rough to ride in’.
Inspired, he set out to create more refined and comfortable vehicles for the royals.
‘No-one had made a carriage for the British Royal Family in over 120 years before I came along, so the art of making these vehicles has been lost,’ he said.
Over a 50-year career, Frecklington completed two carriages for the British monarchy, including the Diamond Jubilee coach.
His latest project, informally called the King’s Carriage, is designed to honour King Charles III. Initially intended for the 2023 coronation, its completion was delayed due to Frecklington’s health challenges.
‘I’ve been having chemotherapy quite regularly, and this has slowed me down,’ he admitted. Despite the setbacks, his commitment to the project has been unwavering.
To fund the King's Carriage, Frecklington mortgaged his home, hoping the royal family might reimburse the costs, as they did with the Diamond Jubilee coach.
The finished carriage will be a one-of-a-kind tribute to over 1,000 years of British monarchy, featuring faces of historical royals within its upholstery, national flowers from all 56 Commonwealth countries, and timber from Westminster Abbey.
Frecklington worked with a talented team of Australian artisans to bring his vision to life.
Owen Webb, a car-body painter from Moss Vale, was responsible for the carriage’s sleek, two-toned paint job.
‘That’s a process of about two to three weeks of application and primer and topcoat colour,’ Webb explained.
Fine art painter Paula Church, originally from Ireland, hand-gilded the carriage in gold leaf and painted four coats of arms. Using a painstaking technique called gilding, she spent years perfecting the intricate details.
‘It took months, actually years, to do that, because every piece has to be done by hand and there’s no quick way of doing it,’ she said.
Wollongong-based Tony Edwards, a metal spinner, contributed all the light fittings for the carriage. Metal spinning, a rare skill in modern times, allows artisans to shape sheet metal by hand.
‘Metal spinning is a matter of putting sheet metal in a lathe and as you lean against it, the metal starts to take shape,’ Edwards explained.
Weighing over three tonnes, the King’s Carriage is a modern marvel, equipped with electric windows and internal heating—luxuries absent from earlier royal coaches.
‘Prior to me making the coaches, all that kept Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth warm was a hot water bottle and a blanket, whereas these vehicles I build have special heating on the inside as well as electric windows,’ Frecklington noted.
Despite his health challenges, Frecklington remained optimistic about completing the carriage, even making contingency plans.
‘If something does happen to myself, I do have some wonderful men and women who have been involved–who will be able to continue on,’ he said.
As the son of a hardworking dairy farmer, Frecklington took immense pride in creating something lasting.
‘My family worked hard all their lives–unfortunately, when they passed away, they basically left nothing behind. But I try and make something special.’
With its grandeur and historical significance, Frecklington’s King’s Carriage is set to become a treasured symbol of British heritage, poised to play a role in coronations for centuries to come.
How excited are you to see Frecklington’s finished product? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
His journey is one of passion, dedication, and relentless pursuit, even in the face of immense personal challenges.
Keep reading to discover how he’s making history and why this project is unlike anything else.
At 74 years old, Jim Frecklington’s dedication to his craft remains undiminished, even as he battles cancer.
Known as ‘the world’s last royal coachmaker’, Frecklington has spent decades reviving a long-lost art, and his latest masterpiece—a royal carriage for King Charles III—is shaping up to be his magnum opus.
Born in Peak Hill, central-west New South Wales, Frecklington’s connection to the British Royal Family began in London, where he worked in their equestrian stables.
His journey to becoming a royal coachmaker started after the late Queen Elizabeth II remarked that the old royal coaches were ‘too rough to ride in’.
Inspired, he set out to create more refined and comfortable vehicles for the royals.
‘No-one had made a carriage for the British Royal Family in over 120 years before I came along, so the art of making these vehicles has been lost,’ he said.
Over a 50-year career, Frecklington completed two carriages for the British monarchy, including the Diamond Jubilee coach.
His latest project, informally called the King’s Carriage, is designed to honour King Charles III. Initially intended for the 2023 coronation, its completion was delayed due to Frecklington’s health challenges.
‘I’ve been having chemotherapy quite regularly, and this has slowed me down,’ he admitted. Despite the setbacks, his commitment to the project has been unwavering.
To fund the King's Carriage, Frecklington mortgaged his home, hoping the royal family might reimburse the costs, as they did with the Diamond Jubilee coach.
The finished carriage will be a one-of-a-kind tribute to over 1,000 years of British monarchy, featuring faces of historical royals within its upholstery, national flowers from all 56 Commonwealth countries, and timber from Westminster Abbey.
Frecklington worked with a talented team of Australian artisans to bring his vision to life.
Owen Webb, a car-body painter from Moss Vale, was responsible for the carriage’s sleek, two-toned paint job.
‘That’s a process of about two to three weeks of application and primer and topcoat colour,’ Webb explained.
Fine art painter Paula Church, originally from Ireland, hand-gilded the carriage in gold leaf and painted four coats of arms. Using a painstaking technique called gilding, she spent years perfecting the intricate details.
‘It took months, actually years, to do that, because every piece has to be done by hand and there’s no quick way of doing it,’ she said.
Wollongong-based Tony Edwards, a metal spinner, contributed all the light fittings for the carriage. Metal spinning, a rare skill in modern times, allows artisans to shape sheet metal by hand.
‘Metal spinning is a matter of putting sheet metal in a lathe and as you lean against it, the metal starts to take shape,’ Edwards explained.
Weighing over three tonnes, the King’s Carriage is a modern marvel, equipped with electric windows and internal heating—luxuries absent from earlier royal coaches.
‘Prior to me making the coaches, all that kept Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth warm was a hot water bottle and a blanket, whereas these vehicles I build have special heating on the inside as well as electric windows,’ Frecklington noted.
Despite his health challenges, Frecklington remained optimistic about completing the carriage, even making contingency plans.
‘If something does happen to myself, I do have some wonderful men and women who have been involved–who will be able to continue on,’ he said.
As the son of a hardworking dairy farmer, Frecklington took immense pride in creating something lasting.
‘My family worked hard all their lives–unfortunately, when they passed away, they basically left nothing behind. But I try and make something special.’
With its grandeur and historical significance, Frecklington’s King’s Carriage is set to become a treasured symbol of British heritage, poised to play a role in coronations for centuries to come.
How excited are you to see Frecklington’s finished product? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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