LONDON — Milliner Philip Treacy, interiors group Sanderson, fashion label Wolsey and British department store chain John Lewis are among around 400 companies included in the latest batch of royal warrants issued by King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Thursday.
A royal warrant, which lasts for up to five years, represents a seal of approval for those who supply goods and services to the monarch and other royal household members. It usually includes a wide range of companies, from mass-market names such as Boots, Coca-Cola and Unilever to luxury ones such as Burberry, Moët & Chandon and Smythson.
New entries include Treacy; Camilla’s go-to hairdresser for the past 30 years Jo Hansford; designers Fiona Clare, Mr. Roy and Anna Valentine, who designed her wedding dress, and beauty consultant Deborah Mitchell, who has provided the queen with bee venom facials for 18 years.
Philip Treacy attends a memorial for Judy Blame.
Dave Benett
The latest list marks another major update since King Charles III ascended to the throne. Brands have been racing to renew their royal warrants before the deadline for when they would expire.
According to sources, King Charles has made it more difficult than ever to obtain a warrant and has tightened the rules around sustainability in particular.
For example, the late Queen Elizabeth’s favorite butcher HM Sheridan near Balmoral Castle lost its royal warrant because its beef supply is not organic.
Helen Brocklebank, chief executive officer of Walpole, the association of British luxury brands, told WWD earlier that she isn’t surprised about the green requirements in particular.
“As Prince of Wales, the king had a very clear set of values around sustainability, the environment and craftsmanship. The sustainability element of his warrant in particular was much admired for the rigor it brought to the process of gaining and retaining his warrant. His values were very much shared by luxury brands who had the privilege of holding his warrant,” she said.
Many heritage royal warrant holders are keeping up with the latest ESG regulations.
Interiors group Sanderson, which supplies fabric and wallpaper to the Royal Households, for one, was granted a new royal warrant by Kings Charles.
Aligning itself with the U.K.’s first green king’s environmental advocacy, Sanderson said the company is committed to reaching carbon net zero by 2030, under its Live Beautiful pledge, while its parent company Sanderson Design Group saw its CO2 emissions decrease by 10.4 percent in the 12 months ending Jan. 31 and 40 percent over the past five years.
Sanderson Design Group said it will also continue to enhance biodiversity through its sites in collaboration with the Royal Warrant Holders Association Nature Recovery Group and working with The Wildlife Trusts on an outdoor project at a wallpaper factory in Loughborough, England.
The group’s further commitments include replanting trees in Chiswick House and Gardens, installing bird boxes in Loughborough and Milton Keynes, and bat boxes in Lancaster.
Lisa Montague, CEO of Sanderson Design Group, who has spent most of her career managing luxury fashion brands including Loewe, Aspinal of London and Mulberry, said: “We are thrilled to be granted this royal warrant and especially delighted to celebrate 100 years of continuous service to The Royal Household.”
She added the brand is “committed to upholding its legacy of British design and craftsmanship, and a commitment to sustainability. These initiatives reflect the principles of excellence that have defined our company for over a century. We look forward to continuing decorating with the Royal Households and upholding the values that the royal warrant represents.”
Peter Ruis, executive director of department store chain John Lewis, also said the latest renewal as supplier of household goods and furnishings to King Charles reflects the retailer’s “ongoing commitment to supporting its local communities, whilst also championing high environmental standards.”
A look from Wolsey
Courtesy of Wolsey
Menswear label Wolsey is among a cohort of heritage brands such as Henry Poole, Dege and Skinner, Meyer & Mortimer, Samuel Brothers and Thresher & Glenny getting their royal warrants renewed in December.
Burberry, Barbour, John Lobb, Anderson & Sheppard, Gieves & Hawkes, Holland & Holland, Cartier, Garrard, Mappin & Webb, Champagne Laurent-Perrier, Ede & Ravenscroft, John Smedley, Johnstons of Elgin and Turnbull & Asser received their royal warrant renewals in May.
Damian Hopkins, who owns Wolsey via The Brand Group, said the renewal is “an incredibly proud moment in Wolsey’s long history, we are overjoyed that our longstanding relationship with The Royal Household continues with this recognition from His Majesty The King.”
Wolsey was first granted a royal warrant by King George V in 1935 and its warrant has since been renewed by his predecessors.
Last year Walpole worked with Brand Finance on a study looking at the perceived value of the royal warrant among U.K. consumers. The study found that all British luxury brands “enjoy the halo effect of the allure of royalty, but royal warrant holders in particular see an uplift.”
The study showed that nearly two-thirds of British consumers are aware of royal warrants “and associate them with British heritage, trustworthiness and superior quality.” According to Walpole and Brand Finance, customers are also willing to pay more for brands with a royal warrant.
