‘Badge of credibility’… businesses fret over royal warrant cull

Hundreds of brands are having to reapply to the new king for recognition, but will they meet the tougher green audits?
Prince William drives his new wife, Catherine, on The Mall in London in his father’s Aston Martin after their wedding in 2011. The car is powered by bioethanol made by Green Fuels, holder of a royal warrant
Prince William drives his new wife, Catherine, on The Mall in London in his father’s Aston Martin after their wedding in 2011. The car is powered by bioethanol made by Green Fuels, holder of a royal warrant
MAX NASH/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

There aren’t many clubs where you’ll find premium fashion brands, famous sports car marques and top champagne producers rubbing shoulders with the providers of portable toilets, laundry services and horse riding helmets.

All these and many more are members of the Royal Warrant Holders Association, which represents individuals and companies lucky enough to hold what it calls a “mark of recognition with a unique status in business” — royal warrants, which recognise the supply of goods or services to the royal household.

There are about 800 holders, including famous names such as Aston Martin, Burberry and Coca-Cola, as well as hundreds of small companies. All are in the midst of the biggest shake-up of the system in decades.

Last week the association, which administers the