Royal warrant of appointment (United Kingdom)

In the United Kingdom, grants are usually made by the monarch, spouse, and heir apparent to companies or tradespeople who supply goods and services to individuals in the family.

The warrant is typically advertised on billboards or company hoardings in British English, letter-heads and products by displaying the coat of arms or the heraldic badge of the royal personage as appropriate.

At a time when product quality was a public issue, a royal warrant imbued suppliers with an independent sign of value.

By the 18th century, mass market manufacturers such as Josiah Wedgwood and Matthew Boulton, recognised the value of supplying royalty, often at prices well below cost, for the sake of the publicity and kudos it generated.

High-profile food and beverage suppliers with a royal warrant include Twinings of London; Bollinger; Fortnum & Mason; Heinz; Tanqueray; Gordon & Co and Schweppes.

Non-food suppliers with royal warrants include Aston Martin; Land Rover; Jaguar Cars; Boots; Axminster Carpets; Paragon China; The Irish Linen Company and Yardley London.

The professions, employment agencies, party planners, the media, government departments, and "places of refreshment or entertainment" (such as pubs and theatres) do not qualify.

A company must have supplied goods or services to the royal household for five years to become eligible to have its application considered for recommendation.

It then goes in front of the Royal Household Warrants Committee, which is chaired by the Lord Chamberlain, which decides whether to accept the recommendation.

Goods need not be for the use of the grantor; for example, cigarettes were bought for the use of guests of the royal family, though these warrants were cancelled in 1999 as a matter of public policy on smoking.