World's last royal coachmaker dies at 76, leaving King Charles' coach 98% done

Frecklington's fascination with coachmaking began when he was just eight years old. For more than half a century, Jim Frecklington turned wood, metal, leather and gold into something increasingly rare: magnificent horse-drawn carriages built by hand. His workshop on Sydney's northern beaches became the unlikely birthplace of vehicles destined for royal ceremonies, but his final project was also his most personal. Frecklington died at 76, leaving behind a three-tonne carriage for King Charles III that is now nearly complete, states an online report by ABC Information and Services. Scroll down to read the details.A final gift to the crownFrecklington died in an aged care facility in Manly after a lengthy battle with cancer. Despite receiving a terminal diagnosis while the Commonwealth Royal Coach was still under construction, he continued working toward completing the decade-long project, adds the report. The carriage is now about 98 percent finished, according to members of his team, who are completing the final details, the report said. The enormous coach was financed in part by remortgaging Frecklington's home and was designed as a tribute to more than 1,000 years of British monar...