Royal Warrant
In the United Kingdom, a Royal Warrant is a grant made by senior members of the British Royal Family to companies or tradespeople who supply goods and services to individuals in the family. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending cachet to the supplier.
Some 800 individuals and companies - including a few non-UK companies - hold more than 1,100 warrants. Suppliers must have had a trading relationship with an individual in the family for at least five years before they can be considered for a warrant. Warrants are awarded at the discretion of the Lord Chamberlain, acting as the chairperson of the Royal Household Tradesmen's Warrants Committee. Warrants are awarded for renewable terms of five years, though they can be revoked at any time; some warrants have been held for more than 100 years.
Suppliers continue to charge for their goods and services - a warrant does not imply that they provide goods and services free of charge. The warrant is typically advertised on company hordings, letter-heads and products by displaying the coats of arms of the individual member of the family on whose behalf the warrant has been given.
External link
- Royal Warrants (http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page319.asp) explained on the royal.gov.uk website