King Charles has strayed from tradition in order to grant Prince William and his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales, new powers. It’s a move that quietly signifies just how highly the monarch thinks of his eldest son and daughter-in-law, both of whom are consistently voted as the most popular members of the family (according to YouGov).
Starting in the spring, William and Kate will be given permission to issue a royal warrant of approval to the individuals and brands they love, once they’ve been formalised as Grantors of Royal Warrants – an honour that is typically only reserved for the reigning monarch and their partner (or members of kin that the monarch has singled out). So far, Charles has chosen to keep royal warrant grants between himself and Camilla.
This change will see Kate become the first Princess of Wales to issue a royal warrant in 116 years.
The Princess of Wales seen wearing Emilia Wickstead in May 2025, a British designer who could well be receiving a royal warrant in the spring
The royal warrant is bestowed upon brands that are deemed to be of high-quality and personally approved by a member of the family – those currently on the list include Heinz (anyone else love the thought of Queen Elizabeth II tucking into beans on toast and thinking ‘Must give these guys a shout out’?) to luxury fashion house, Burberry.
As per the Royal Warrants Holder Association, the business or individual must have supplied the royal household “with goods or services for at least five years out of the past seven years, and have an ongoing trading relationship”, so you know recipients are legit loved by the royals. They are then able to display the royal warrant crest on their products and website.
Fans are especially excited to see which brands the Princess will choose to highlight, particular in the fashion sphere – given how influential her sartorial choices are.
Confirming the news, the Princess of Wales’ private secretary, Ian Wright, said, “Royal Highnesses are delighted to be able to recognise and celebrate British industry, creativity, and skills through the granting of warrants.”
So, let’s watch this space and see who they choose (our money is on Emilia Wickstead, a Kate favourite, for starters).
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 Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK’s multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She’s grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.