Britain's Queen Elizabeth is to receive a new royal carriage as a gift from an Australian monarchist. Jim Frecklington, who lives in Sydney, has spent years and re-mortgaged his home to build the new State Coach Britannia.

The carriage - which cost an estimated $1.23 million to build with some of the costs being covered by the Australian government - will be flown into Britain and given as a gift to the queen.

The project was approved by Buckingham Palace and was overseen by Prince Philip - who is said to be a renowned carriage driver.

Frecklington has traveled the world for the finest materials and the few remaining craftsmen and women with the specialist skills and knowledge to build a traditional state coach.

Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper reports that the carriage weighs 2.75 tons and is more than 20ft long and 11ft wide. The two door handles are individually decorated with 24 diamonds and 130 sapphires.

In 1986, Frecklington designed and built the Australian State Coach, which was a gift from Australia to Britain and is regularly used by the queen for the State Opening of British Parliament.