How King Charles stripped some of the UK’s best-known brands of their Royal Warrant – including Cadbury and Marmite in place for Camilla’s long-standing hairdresser and jeweller

His mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, was a big fan of chocolate giant Cadbury – yet King Charles has stripped the firm of its Royal Warrant and there are now suggestions that his health-conscious approach to diet could have played a key part.

The confectionery brand based in Bourneville, Birmingham, is among 100 companies to lose out on official endorsement from the royal family in a newly-updated list.

Also missing out this time is consumer goods multinational Unilever, whose products include the likes of Marmite, Magnum ice cream bars and Pot Noodle.

But operations favoured by Charles’s wife Queen Camilla are among the latest beneficiaries of the royal household’s stamp of approval.

Her long-standing hairdresser Jo Hansford’s salon in Mayfair, central London. is among almost 400 businesses in the latest batch of Royal Warrants of Appointment.

Also recognised is Wartski jewellers, also based in the capital and which made the King and Queen’s wedding rings for their marriage in April 2005.

But the snub for Cadbury comes despite the firm first being given a Royal Warrant by Queen Victoria back in 1854 and retaining it under Queen Elizabeth II between 1955 and her death in 2022.

Reports today suggested Charles’s healthy eating preferences could have worked against Cadbury, confectionery firm behind the likes of Dairy Milk, Flake and Heroes. 

Chocolate manufacturer Cadbury is among the companies to have lost their Royal Warrant in the latest list – the firm previously produced a Dairy Milk bar for Charles’ coronation in 2023

King Charles – seen here at the House of Dorchester chocolate factory in Poundbury, Dorset, in November 2015 – has been described as a fitness enthusiast who follows a healthy diet

The King, who has been receiving treatment for cancer after being diagnosed earlier this year, has been described as a fitness enthusiast who exercises twice a day – including squats and pull-ups.

He is also said to be a frugal eater, with former communications secretary Julian Payne previously telling how the King ‘generally consumes extremely healthy, organic food and doesn’t drink much’.

He told the Times: ‘The King doesn’t eat lunch, so an early lesson I learnt when out on the road with him was to have a big breakfast or bring a few snack bars with you to keep you going. 

‘The working day is pretty relentless. Beginning with the radio news headlines and a breakfast of seasonal fruit salad and seeds with tea.’

But it was suggested earlier this year that his cancer diagnosis prompted advice to abandon his preferred custom of skipping lunch. 

Yet while Cadbury has been struck off the Royal Warrant list, other chocolate manufacturers remain in favour – including Nestle, upmarket Bendicks of Mayfair and Prestat, one of the capital’s oldest chocolate stores.

Royal warrants are given in recognition for the supply of goods or services to the Royal Household and senior members of the Royal Family, and are considered a much-coveted mark of excellence around the world.

Almost 400 companies are included in the latest batch of Royal Warrants of Appointment representing a range of different industries across the UK – and beyond – from heritage crafts to clothing and food manufacturers.

The King’s latest list of Royal Warrants includes 386 companies which had previously been approved by his late mother Queen Elizabeth II (pictured) and which he has decided to keep on

A bust of King Charles III was made of Celebrations chocolates in April 2023 ahead of his coronation – these products are manufactured by Cadbury’s competitors Mars

The King’s list includes 386 companies previously holding warrants bestowed by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, and which he has decided to keep on.

These range from the official ‘suppliers of Martini Vermouth’, Bacardi-Martini, to Command Pest Control Ltd, Dunelm for soft furnishings, Foodspeed for milk, Kellogg’s for cereals, florist Lottie Longman, and McIlhenny as the official supplier of Tabasco hot sauce.

Meanwhile, Queen Camilla has issued seven royal warrants including to hairdresser Ms Hansford, who told the Mail: ‘It’s a real honour to be granted a Royal Warrant from The Queen, who I have been proud to have as a client for more than three decades.

‘I think it is particularly wonderful that the Queen has awarded it to an all-female owned and run business.

‘It really shows that with grit and determination you can achieve truly incredible things. All our clients get the same treatment. We value each and every one of them.’

There are also warrants for three of the Queen’s favourite couturiers, Anna Valentine – who designed her wedding dress – Fiona Clare and Mr Roy, as well as her favourite milliner Philip Treacey and her local vet, Benson & Babb in Gloucestershire.

Royal Warrants have been granted for centuries and currently last up to five years. Warrant holders are assessed against a range of criteria, including sustainability – a cause close to Charles’ heart.

They enable companies to have a royal coat of arms on their packaging for at least five years, although they can be cancelled if products fall below expected standards.

Queen Camilla has issued seven royal warrants including to her long-standing hairdresser, Jo Hansford MBE (pictured)

King Charles has decided to allow the suppliers of Martini Vermouth, Bacardi-Martini, to continue to have their royal warrant which was initially issued by the late Queen

Being awarded a Royal Warrant is considered a huge advantage for British firms both in the UK and abroad – and losing the stamp of approval has left Cadbury’s owners ‘disappointed’, the firm admitted. 

The late Queen loved Cadbury’s Bournville chocolate so much, she is believed to have received boxes of it each Christmas.

Yet it is understood the supply of Cadbury products to royal households has decreased over several years.

The King is also known for his healthy eating, preferring a piece of fruit or fibre-rich seeds over a bar of chocolate. 

As is protocol, the brands losing their Royal Warrant status were informed by letter and not given a reason why. 

A spokesperson for Mondelez International said: ‘Cadbury is a much-loved brand that has been a part of British life for generations and remains the nation’s favourite chocolate.

‘Whilst we are disappointed to be one of hundreds of other businesses and brands in the UK to not have a new warrant awarded, we are proud to have previously held one, and we fully respect the decision.’ 

Reasons for no longer appearing on the Royal Warrant list can include either failing to hold on to royal approval or companies deciding not to reapply.

King Charles, seen here with Queen Camilla being offered a platter of fruit and chocolates in London’s Covent Garden in May last year, is known for his healthy eating and daily exercise

This 45cm-tall chocolate crown was produced at Cadbury World in Birmingham ahead of King Charles’s coronation in April last year 

Health and beauty retail chain Boots, which held a Royal Warrant from the late Queen Elizabeth II, has said its application for a renewal is ‘pending’ rather than rejected.

Last October, it was reported that iconic British brands feared they could face losing millions of pounds and King Charles’ seal of approval if they did not prove their green credentials.

Hundreds of firms granted a Royal Warrant under Elizabeth II were subject to review by the royal household ‘upon a change of the reigning sovereign’ – with eco-conscious Charles looking specifically at their sustainability scores. 

It is understood that decisions over warrants cover various factors including a trading relationship with the entire royal household as well as sustainability issues, though details about criteria considered for individual companies are not made public. 

Buckingham Palace declined to comment when contacted today by MailOnline.