For any brand, a royal warrant is the ultimate seal of approval — and a chance to boost sales thanks to a royal crest emblazoned on its products.
For the member of the royal family, it is a chance to say thank you for a job well done. For the rest of us, meanwhile, it is a chance to peek inside the royal shopping basket and, if budgets allow, sample some of the products therein.
The list of some 800 royal warrant holders ranges from purveyors of fine wines and artisan cheesemakers to global computer firms, and offers an insight into the Windsor shopping list.
The Princess of Wales wore a Victoria Beckham outfit earlier this week and within hours the designer’s website had sold out of most sizes
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Individuals and services also feature: the Queen included her hairdresser, Jo Hansford, in the latest round of those awarded a warrant.
However, the King has delayed a decision to grant permission to the Prince and Princess of Wales to bestow their own royal warrants.
A source had previously said the couple would use them to “recognise British skills and industry”. Yet friends are now intrigued to find that the wait goes on — agonisingly so for some brands that supply the household of the Prince and Princess of Wales and are keen to find out if they will be acknowledged.
It is understood that the warrant office has already had enquiries from some of these firms. However, a source confirmed that until the monarch issues permission to Kate and William, applications cannot be considered.
Sarah Burton, the former creative director for Alexander McQueen who designed Kate’s wedding dress and other outfits since, may be considered for a royal warrant
CHRIS JACKSON/GETTY IMAGES
Becoming a royal grantor is at the whim of the sovereign and not an automatic right. Charles became a grantor as Prince of Wales in 1980, yet the privilege was not extended to Princess Diana when she married him the following year.
Kate would become the first Princess of Wales to grant royal warrants since 1910. This week the princess supported British fashion by wearing a £1,340 suit designed by Victoria Beckham to present the Queen Elizabeth II award at a British Fashion Council event. Within hours, the designer’s website was showing that most sizes had sold out.
• ‘Style icon’ Kate presents Queen Elizabeth fashion award
Brands that may be chosen by the Princess of Wales include Sarah Burton, the former creative director for Alexander McQueen who designed Kate’s 2011 wedding dress and various outfits since; Self-Portrait, a fashion label chosen by the princess for the VE Day concert this month; Holland Cooper, a British brand that has supplied coats worn by the princess at Westminster Abbey; Sahar Millinery for its hats; Catherine Zoraida, the jewellery designer; and Aspinal of London for handbags.
The so-called Kate effect, whereby items worn in public by the princess sell out within minutes, has resulted in sales increasing fivefold in some cases. A friend of the princess mused what effect might be brought to bear if she had permission to offer a more official seal of approval by granting companies a royal warrant.
While all eyes are likely to be on Kate’s clothes, rather than the suppliers who send goods to their homes, key suppliers to William will be included in a separate list. In previous years, the prince has championed eco-friendly brands such as Purified Shoes, which makes plastic-free trainers, and Rapanui, which sells sustainable clothes.
The princess wore a burgundy suit designed by the French designer Roland Mouret in 2022 — brands need not be British to receive a royal warrant
ELDER ORDONEZ/SPLASH NEWS
Warrant holders can be individual craftspeople up to multinational companies but each must be able to demonstrate that they have supplied the royal household for at least five years within the past seven years. Brands need not be British and applications are open from mid-May to the end of June, although not yet for the Waleses.
There may be several reasons for the hold-up. The lord chamberlain’s office issues rules about how companies can display the royal coat of arms on their products and any printed or online promotional material. It has been suggested the same office has been busy with the late Queen’s funeral and subsequent coronation. The warrant office, too, has been busy reviewing the previous warrants issued by the late Queen and by Charles when he was Prince of Wales.
To obtain a royal warrant a company must be selected by the grantor. Once the Waleses are granted permission, the royal warrants office would set a timeframe during which firms could apply to be considered. They would then go through a review process.
Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace and the Royal Warrant Holders Association declined to comment on when that might be. Until then, we will just have to wait for the chance to shop like the Waleses.
William joined his father at Westminster Abbey on Friday, where he was installed as a Great Master of the Order of the Bath, which marks its 300th anniversary this year. On Saturday he will attend the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium between Crystal Palace and Manchester City and present the trophy to the winners.