WJ Frecklington, Australian royal coach builder, dies aged 76

The eccentric Australian built the Australian State Coach, the Diamond Jubilee State Coach and the (nearly finished) Commonwealth Royal Coach

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-...d-76/107153976


Quote Originally Posted by ABC News
Jim Frecklington MVO OAM, considered the world's last royal coachmaker, is being remembered as a visionary craftsman whose work will endure for generations to come.

The 76-year-old died in an aged care facility in Manly, New South Wales on Friday after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Mr Frecklington, an avowed monarchist and history lover, leaves behind three horsedrawn carriages built for the Australian Royal Family.

Quote Originally Posted by ABC News
His latest project, the Commonwealth Royal Coach for King Charles III, remains unfinished, though his team is in the process of adding the final touches.

"I'll have what I'd call in, vehicle terms, it 'buttoned up', or about 98 per cent finished by the end of the week," vehicle body painter and friend Owen Webb said.

"I would have loved to have had it done so he could see it.

"I think he would have [died knowing it] was in good hands and we'd get it finished for him."
This guy was a true maverick and one of a kind.

His legacy will live on with his three coaches which will literally be used for hundreds of years to come.

RIP Jim Frecklington.