Royal Warrants: A Seal of Approval

You may have seen household brands such as Weetabix and Cadbury using regal coats of arms on their packaging alongside their own trade marks. But why are they doing this, and what is a Royal Warrant?

The granting of Royal Warrants dates back hundreds of years, and they are issued by certain members of the Royal family to individuals or companies that routinely provide goods or services to the Royal Household. Until the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, Royal Warrants were granted by and in the name of both HM the Queen and HRH (the former) Prince of Wales.  

However, as The IPKAT's detailed article points out, "whilst Royal Warrants are used alongside the brands of their holders, they are separate and do not operate in the same way as trade marks". It is important to understand this distinction - while a trade mark operates as an indicator of origin for a product or service, a Royal Warrant is instead merely a 'stamp of approval' for that product or service from the Royal grantor.  

An unofficial list of Royal Warrant holders can be found here, which may give us some clues as to the  Royal Household's preferred brands (as well as who supplied the Queen's beloved corgis with their dinner).