Glenugie man plays part in creating royal coach for Queen | Northern Rivers News | Local News in Northern Rivers

17th June 2008

BUILDING a coach fit for a Queen is all in a day's work for Glenugie man Michael Lowe.

After three years of preparation, Mr Lowe is putting the finishing touches on the interior panels for the State Coach Britannia, designed to be a gift for Queen Elizabeth II.

Each sitting, he uses a magnifying glass to painstakingly inlay small pieces of metal and timber to the panels.

While his craftsmanship is remarkable in itself, the sources of his work are particularly extraordinary.

Included in the panels is timber from King Henry VII's HMS Mary Rose, a button from a Gallipoli soldier, and the only piece of metal from the Guns of Sebastopol to ever be released for any purpose other than casting a Victoria Cross medal.

Mr Lowe said each piece had to be authenticated from a recognised source before being included in his work.

"It's been quite involved," he admitted. "It's a time capsule, basically."

It's not the first time Mr Lowe has been involved in such an ambitious project.

A carriage and wagon builder by trade, in 1988 he was part of the team that built the Australia State Coach, currently used by the monarch for the opening of Parliament, and during inclement weather.

"I could hardly knock back this project after the last one," he said.

Like many other people involved in creating the State Coach Britannia, Mr Lowe said he contributed his labour at cost price, working on the coach's interior as a hobby 'whenever the pieces are available'.

As well as Mr Lowe's significant timber and metal interior work, the coach also has been fitted out with gold brocade upholstery, lacquered with a gold finish and contains 27 diamonds and 130 sapphires in each door handle.

Mr Lowe said the final product was still a few months away, and was being safely stored at the infantry barracks in Manly, under the watch of the man behind the project, Jim Frecklington.

Despite the long hours involved in creating the coach, the exceptional gift may not even be accepted by the monarchy.

"It'll be priceless if the Queen accepts it ... but there's no guarantee," he said.

So far, things are looking pretty good, with the Queen herself involved in choosing the materials used for the carriage.

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