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The passing away of Queen Elizabeth II may affect over 800 brands who may soon lose the right to use the Royal Coat of Arms on their packaging. This ‘Royal Warrant’ or the Royal Coat of Arms that has the English Lion emblazoned on the left and the Scottish Unicorn positioned on the right of the shield has been printed for years on product packaging with the famous statement underneath saying, “By Appointment to Her Majesty the Queen” by brands that have been supplying the royal palaces and households as official suppliers. But now the new statement, “By Appointment to His Majesty the King” will need fresh approvals and renewal of warrants.
Amongst the brands that may get impacted are Cadbury, Heinz, Kellogg’s, Boots, Twinings, Bacardi-Martini, Molten Brown, Clarins and many many more. Those also likely to be impacted are brands like Carluccio’s and Penhaligon’s who are perhaps not as well known in these parts.
The warrants will now have to be reviewed, re-evaluated and granted afresh by the new monarch King Charles III. The Royal Warrant Holders Association of the UK estimated that 875 brands currently carry the Royal Coat of Arms and will be up for scrutiny and renewal. Typically, between 20 and 40 new warrants are granted every year and almost the same number are cancelled annually. Even when the warrants are cancelled, the Royal Seal of approval can continue to be used by brands for one more year.
Of the 800 plus warrants currently in force, about 180 have been issued by Charles as Prince of Wales. Their continuity, therefore, in the new dispensation is almost assured.
It is not only typically British brands like Marmite, Twinings tea, Cadbury’s chocolates, Tate & Lyle sugars or the high end Fortnum & Mason champagnes, cookies and equine supplies that carry the Royal emblem of approval. Even US brands like Heinz sauces have been favourites of the Royal Households since as far as back 1951. The royal connection started with the purchase of Lea & Perrins, a UK company by Heinz. Though, historians remind us that Heinz created a tiny miniature bottle in 1924 for the Windsor Castle children’s doll’s house! In fact, the Queen & the Duke of Edinburgh paid a royal visit to the Heinz factory in Kitt Green near Wigan to celebrate its 50th anniversary. So, the royal emblem is richly deserved by the American company.
Another American favourite Kellogg’s also has a strong history of serving cereal onto the Queen’s table. Kellogg’s in fact had a van called Genevieve dedicated to royal duties that made product deliveries to the royal palaces. The Kellogg’s relationship which started during the reign of King George VI, has lasted the 70 years of Elizabeth Regina and should really not have any problem transitioning to the table of King Charles III. But there is a small twist in the tale here. The crest of royalty is carried on all Kellogg’s packaging in the UK but the same factory when sending cereals to North Ireland, lets the royal seal take some rest.
There have been brands that have lost royal patronage too in the past. The Royal Warrant of tobacco company Gallaher, the makers of Benson & Hedges and Silk Cut cigarettes was terminated after 122 years on the insistence of King Charles III, a fervent anti-smoker who insisted that the Royal Warrant be withdrawn, much to the joy of the anti-smoking lobby.
The Royal Warrant may technically not extend to the UK currency but the Queen’s face is currently on all British coins and bank notes. There are apparently 4.7 billion bank notes in circulation and each note takes 7-8 pence to print. King Charles III will now automatically start to feature on all currencies as they get printed. However, current notes and coins will remain legal tender. Also, the phasing out of the coins may take much longer — King George VI’s face stayed on British coins almost 20 years after his death, till UK switched to the decimal system.
The one other important area of transition will be Royal Mail. Elizabeth Regina will make way for Charles Rex III. But it is not the stamps that are a worry because inventories are finite. The issue will really be with the post boxes that always carry the insignia of the reigning monarch. Replacing them will be a tough job, for sure.
Change will also touch distant lands like Canada, Jamaica and New Zealand and 30 other countries where the monarch’s picture graces the currency of the countries.
While there can be no bigger celebrity endorsement then that of the Queen or the King, brands actually do not have to pay anything at all for the royal endorsement. Good quality, consistent quality and now increasingly sustainability are the prime requirements of Royal households.
For the record, Royal Warrants of appointment have been in vogue since the 15th century, though the first recorded British Royal Charter was granted to the Weavers’ Company by Henry II of England in 1155. The famous printer William Caxton was granted a Royal Warrant in 1476 by King Charles II of England. Queen Victoria was very liberal with her warrants, and almost 2000 were granted during her reign. Since 1885, The London Gazette publishes an annual list of warrant holders.
As we head into the reign of a new monarch, not just the brands mentioned earlier in this article need to renew their royal approval, but other famous names like Bollinger, Tanqueray Gordon, Schweppes, Aston Martin, Land Rover, Jaguar, Axminster and Yardley of London too need to seek royal blessings all over again.
Does attaching a royal name or symbol to your brand fetch disproportionate returns? And like the monarchy, does this guarantee your brand fortune lasts for centuries?
On the sad demise of Her Majesty, ETBrandEquity goes back in time to pay tribute to the departed soul
