Champagne Makers Are Hoping That King Charles Will Renew Their Royal Warrants This Year

Tori Latham
·2 min read
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Champagne is often a favorite drink of the world’s elite, and the royal family is no exception.

Since the late 1800s, the British monarchy has awarded royal warrants to Champagne houses. But that status is set to expire this year, unless King Charles renews it by September 8, Bloomberg reported on Saturday. Until then, the nine Champagne makers that supply the royal family are trying to win Charles’s favor.

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“Royal warrant holders benefit from the strong brand equity associated with the royal family,” Richard Haigh, the managing director of the brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance, told Bloomberg in an email. “This establishes greater awareness and prestige, and grants them access to markets and consumers they may not otherwise reach.”

The royal warrants allow Champagne brands to display the coat of arms on bottles and use the phrasing “By appointment to …” The posh bubblies are also served during official functions, and reflect the tastes of the royal family dating back to Queen Victoria, who awarded a warrant to Champagne Bollinger in 1884 and one to Champagne Lanson in 1900. Those two houses have applied for a renewal, according to Bloomberg, along with Louis Roederer. LVMH declined to comment to the outlet on whether Krug, Moët & Chandon, and Veuve Clicquot had applied for a renewal. A spokesperson for Pernod Ricard also declined to comment on the status of its Mumm Champagne and Dubonnet fortified wine. (Champagne Pol Roger also holds a warrant, although its status was not mentioned.)

Compared with other alcohols, Champagne has more royal warrants than most of them, making up a third of all the alcohol producers on the list. And the United Kingdom is the second largest importer of Champagne after the United States. If some labels get downgraded later this year, though, that could deal a blow to the market, which is already reeling from an 8 percent drop in exports last year.

“The royal warrant is a big part of our history and a strong symbol,” Julie Renault, the head of marketing and communications for Lanson, told Bloomberg. “It’s a guarantee of quality and for us it’s very important.”

While Charles has stepped away from public duties while he undergoes treatment for cancer, the palace has been clear that he’ll continue carrying out his role as king. A representative for the Royal Warrant Holders Association, which serves as an intermediary between companies and the royal family, told Bloomberg that the review process “is ongoing,” while declining to share further details.

The current warrant holders are likely hoping they’ll have a reason to pop some bottles later this year.

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