By royal appointment

Forget social-media followers, being appointed a Royal Warrant holder is still the highest form of accolade and influence, says Katy Birchall, as she meets those whose wares have recently been afforded The King and Queen's seal of approval

- Katy Birchall

In a world where influencers are paid to promote products across their social-media accounts, it can be difficult to know who and what to trust. Thankfully, when on the hunt for a genuine and honest recommendation, we can always turn to the original influencers: the Royal Family. The big names on Instagram and TikTok have only really been in play for the past decade or so, whereas the Royal Family has been leading the charge on what's hot and what's not for centuries and the ultimate stamp of approval is awarded in the form of a Royal Warrant of Appointment.

Granted as a mark of recognition to those who have regularly supplied goods or services to the Royal Household, the history of royal patronage can be traced back to medieval days, when tradespeople vied for the monarch's favour. By the 15th century, the Lord Chamberlain, as head of the Royal Household, was formally appointing much sought-after Royal Warrants. They particularly flourished during the reign of Queen Victoria, who issued close to 2,000 of them. Such endorsement delivered unsurpassable prestige, assuring the public that a company's products had met, or even exceeded, the highest of standards.

Things are not so different in the 21st century; a glimpse of the royal arms displayed alongside a company's branding or on the wall of its premises inspires quiet confidence in a customer and to be granted a Royal Warrant remains a significant source of pride for its holders. In May 2024, The King and The Queen issued their first Royal Warrants of the new reign, granting them to 145 companies that had previously held one to The King as The Prince of Wales.