What Is a Royal Warrant? The British Brands That Hold the King's Approval
A Royal Warrant is the Crown's quiet mark of approval — here's what it really means, how a brand earns one, and the great British names that hold it.
There is a small, easily missed detail above the doors of some of Britain’s most beloved shops: a coat of arms, picked out in gold, with a line of text beneath it. Walk along Piccadilly or St James’s and you will see them — above Fortnum & Mason, above the hatters and the wine merchants. That little crest is a Royal Warrant, and it is one of the oldest and most quietly coveted marks of approval in the world. So what exactly is it, how does a brand earn one, and which great British names hold the King’s today?
What a Royal Warrant actually is
A Royal Warrant of Appointment is, in the official words of the Royal Household, “a mark of recognition to people or companies who have regularly supplied goods or services” to the royal family. It is not an award you can apply for on a whim, nor something money can buy. It is earned, slowly, through years of genuinely supplying the Household — the tea, the shirts, the wallpaper, the marmalade.
Crucially, a warrant is granted to a named individual at a company — the “Grantee” — rather than to the faceless brand itself. It lasts for up to five years, after which it is reviewed. And it brings one visible privilege: the right to display the Royal Arms, always accompanied by the Legend, the familiar wording that begins “By Appointment to His Majesty The King.” That crest above the door is the warrant made visible.
How a brand earns the King’s approval
The bar is deliberately high. To be eligible, a company must have supplied the Royal Household with its goods or services for at least five out of the previous seven years — including in the twelve months before it applies. Only then can it put itself forward.
This is what makes a warrant so different from a celebrity endorsement or a clever marketing line: it reflects a real, sustained relationship with the Household, tested over years. It says, in effect, we have served the Crown reliably, and we have done so well enough to be recognised for it.
(The eligibility criteria and application process are set by the Royal Household and the Royal Warrant Holders Association; always check royalwarrant.org for the current details.)
Who can grant one — and what is about to change
The Monarch decides who may grant Royal Warrants. Today they are issued by King Charles III, and historically they were also granted by Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and the Duke of Edinburgh. Queen Camilla is also a grantor.
There is a lovely change on the horizon, too. The King has appointed the Prince and Princess of Wales as grantors, and from spring 2026 William and Catherine will begin awarding their own Royal Warrants — a new chapter that will, in time, reshape the roll of holders with their own choices and causes.
The great British names that hold one
This is where it gets delightful, because the list reads like a love letter to British craft. As of 2026 there are more than 800 Royal Warrant holders, with the King alone having granted over 580. Among them:
- Fortnum & Mason — grocers and provision merchants, and perhaps the most famous warrant holder of all
- Barbour — the waxed-jacket maker beloved of the countryside set
- Lock & Co. Hatters — said to be the oldest hat shop in the world
- Berry Bros. & Rudd — wine and spirits merchants since 1698
- Penhaligon’s — the Mayfair fragrance house
- Turnbull & Asser — Jermyn Street shirtmakers
- Crockett & Jones — Northampton shoemakers
- Cole & Son — wallpapers and printed fabrics
It is a roll-call of longevity and quality — the kind of names that have been doing one thing beautifully for a century or more.
When a warrant is lost — gracefully
A warrant is a living thing, reviewed every few years, and not every holder is renewed. In the transition to King Charles III’s reign, around 100 brands from the previous era were not renewed. The most talked-about was Cadbury, which had held a warrant for a long association, and Unilever (the maker of Marmite) also fell off the list; Boots, by contrast, was deferred rather than declined.
None of this is a slight, and it is best read as housekeeping rather than drama: a new reign brings a natural refresh, and a company may also choose not to reapply, or have its application deferred. The roll of holders simply reflects the Household’s needs at a moment in time — which is part of what keeps the honour meaningful.
Why it still matters
In an age of influencer codes and sponsored posts, there is something wonderfully steady about a Royal Warrant. It cannot be bought, it takes years to earn, and it is awarded for the unglamorous virtue of doing your job superbly, again and again. So the next time you spot that gold crest above a shop door, you will know exactly what it means — a quiet, hard-won mark of trust between a maker and the Crown. Browse our Royal Warrant Brands stories to meet more of the names that have earned it.
Frequently asked questions
What does “By Appointment” mean?
It is the wording (the “Legend”) that must accompany the Royal Arms when a warrant holder displays them — for example, “By Appointment to His Majesty The King.” It signals that the company holds a current Royal Warrant and supplies the Royal Household.
How long does a Royal Warrant last?
Up to five years. It is then reviewed, and may be renewed, allowed to lapse, or not renewed.
How many Royal Warrant holders are there?
As of 2026 there are more than 800 holders, with King Charles III having granted over 580 warrants. The exact number changes as warrants are granted and reviewed.
Can you buy a Royal Warrant?
No. It cannot be bought or applied for as a marketing exercise — a company must have genuinely supplied the Royal Household for at least five of the previous seven years before it is even eligible.
Did Cadbury lose its Royal Warrant?
Cadbury’s warrant was not renewed in the transition to King Charles III’s reign. It was among roughly 100 brands not carried over from the previous era.
Does a Royal Warrant mean the royals personally use the product?
It means the company has regularly supplied goods or services to the Royal Household — which is a little broader than any one person’s personal use.
Royal Warrant holder status is reviewed periodically and can change; figures here are correct as of 2026. For the definitive, current list, see the Royal Warrant Holders Association at royalwarrant.org.
