In February of this year, there was a weird announcement coming from official sources in Kensington Palace. The announcement: KP would no longer provide information about the Princess of Wales’s outfits to the press, no more fashion IDs or flowery press releases about Kate’s Hobby Lobby craft crowns. Two weeks later, a KP official tried to walk back that bizarre “no more fashion IDs” announcement, only the official failed to really walk it back or clarify much of anything. I’ve been wondering this whole time if there was something else behind the announcement, especially because Kate has been wearing so many repeats this year. But now I wonder if this story is also a factor – apparently, King Charles is blocking Kate AND William from handing out “royal warrants.”
For any brand, a royal warrant is the ultimate seal of approval — and a chance to boost sales thanks to a royal crest emblazoned on its products. For the member of the royal family, it is a chance to say thank you for a job well done. For the rest of us, meanwhile, it is a chance to peek inside the royal shopping basket and, if budgets allow, sample some of the products therein. The list of some 800 royal warrant holders ranges from purveyors of fine wines and artisan cheesemakers to global computer firms, and offers an insight into the Windsor shopping list. Individuals and services also feature: the Queen included her hairdresser, Jo Hansford, in the latest round of those awarded a warrant.
However, the King has delayed a decision to grant permission to the Prince and Princess of Wales to bestow their own royal warrants. A source had previously said the couple would use them to “recognise British skills and industry”. Yet friends are now intrigued to find that the wait goes on — agonisingly so for some brands that supply the household of the Prince and Princess of Wales and are keen to find out if they will be acknowledged.
It is understood that the warrant office has already had enquiries from some of these firms. However, a source confirmed that until the monarch issues permission to Kate and William, applications cannot be considered.
Becoming a royal grantor is at the whim of the sovereign and not an automatic right. Charles became a grantor as Prince of Wales in 1980, yet the privilege was not extended to Princess Diana when she married him the following year.
Kate would become the first Princess of Wales to grant royal warrants since 1910. This week the princess supported British fashion by wearing a £1,340 suit designed by Victoria Beckham to present the Queen Elizabeth II award at a British Fashion Council event. Within hours, the designer’s website was showing that most sizes had sold out.
The so-called Kate effect, whereby items worn in public by the princess sell out within minutes, has resulted in sales increasing fivefold in some cases. A friend of the princess mused what effect might be brought to bear if she had permission to offer a more official seal of approval by granting companies a royal warrant.
First of all, Kate’s ugly Victoria Beckham suit did not “sell out.” That was a lie perpetrated by this very same British outlet, the Times. While “the Kate Effect” was something promoted long before the Duchess of Sussex came on the scene, there’s been a renewed focus on trying to convince people that “the Kate Effect” is still a thing that happens, especially because everything Meghan touches or wears sells out immediately. Meghan even had people buying their first Le Creuset pieces, that’s how powerful Meghan’s endorsement is to this day. Meanwhile, you can still buy Kate’s baby-poop-colored VB trousers in every size. And I suspect that’s one of the reasons why Kate has worn so many repeats – no one wants to admit that Kate doesn’t move much product when she does wear something new. Which makes me wonder: do you think King Charles is stopping Kate from issuing royal warrants because it would end up highlighting the wide discrepancy between Meghan’s private, non-royal endorsements and Kate’s official endorsements? Nah, I think Charles is just withholding the royal warrant thing from Kate out of jealousy. Camilla probably doesn’t want Kate grabbing any kind of attention like that.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
