Royal decorator found dead after criticism from King Charles

A long-serving royal decorator, renowned for his meticulous work at Sandringham, was found dead after reportedly being upset over a project criticised by King Charles, an inquest has heard.

Chris Eadie had spent more than 30 years painting and restoring rooms and structures for the late Queen and King Charles, including the bedroom of the Prince and Princess of Wales. 

The inquest revealed that Eadie had been tasked with painting a pagoda in the Sandringham gardens according to colours requested by the King. 

While he followed instructions precisely, he felt the shades were “a bit garish.” 

His brother, Mark Eadie, told the court, “After all that detailed preparation, someone else was given the job. He was crushed. It meant everything to him.”

Around the same time, he began losing weight and experiencing a loss of appetite, fearing he might have cancer. 

Phone conversations with his brother painted a picture of a man increasingly burdened by health worries and the dwindling volume of work at Sandringham following management changes.

Described as a “talented perfectionist,” Eadie was regularly entrusted with the estate’s most high-profile projects. 

Six weeks before his death, she found him sitting alone in the dark, worried he might have been contemplating taking his own life.