Over 600 Royal Warrants have been voided following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II last Thursday, meaning those businesses holding them will need to reapply.
According to the Royal Warrant Holders Association’s website, the Royal Warrant becomes void once the grantor dies, but the Royal Arms on the products can be used for up to two years.
That means the 620 warrants issued by Queen, including those given to Weetabix, Unilever, and Vauxhall are void.
Also included on the list are Boots, BT, Burberry, DHL, Howden Joinery and many more.
A Royal Warrant is a document that appoints a company or individual in a trading capacity to the Royal Household and entitles the holder to use the Royal Arms in connection with their business. They are issued solely to companies that provide goods or services to the Royal Household.
To qualify, the business or individual must provide products or services to the grantor’s Royal Households for no less than five of the last seven years, as well as demonstrate an appropriate environmental and sustainability policy.
Warrants, once issued, last five years and are reviewed a year before the expiration date to decide whether they should be renewed or not for another five years.
Anywhere between 20 and 40 warrants are cancelled each year, with roughly the same number of new ones issued, meaning there are always about 875 Royal Warrants in any given year.
The heir to the throne is granted powers to issue warrants, meaning those given by King Charles III to Aston Martin, Bentley, and 67 more will not be void.
The monarch decides who can grant warrants, but usually, the power is given to the heir and their partner, meaning Prince William and Princess Camilla will receive granting powers.