A self-employed decorator who had worked for the Royal household for more than 30 years was found dead after becoming distressed over criticism of his work by King Charles, an inquest has revealed.

Chris Eadie, 63, had carried out painting and decorating projects at the Sandringham estate for decades and was widely regarded as a perfectionist who took immense pride in his craftsmanship.

At Norfolk Coroner’s Court, Mr Eadie’s brother, Mark Eadie, said the King had expressed dissatisfaction with his brother’s painting of a pagoda on the estate, and the assignment was subsequently reassigned to another contractor. “After all his work, the job was given to someone else,” Mark said. “Chris was devastated.”

Mark told the hearing that his brother had been entrusted with high-profile tasks within the Royal household, including painting the bedroom of the Prince and Princess of Wales, and prided himself on completing “top jobs” for both the late Queen and King Charles.

In recent years, however, work from the estate had become less frequent following management changes and the introduction of new contractors, a shift that reportedly affected Mr Eadie deeply. Mark described him as a “talented perfectionist” whose life revolved around his work and the discreet roles he carried out for the Royal family.

Mr Eadie’s partner, Joanna, discovered him dead in the garden of his Sandringham home on October 10. A post-mortem examination found he had died by hanging, and the coroner recorded a conclusion of mental health deterioration rather than suicide.