King Charles III revoked royal warrants for three top Champagne houses including Lanson, Mumm, and Krug, according to a Friday report in Bloomberg.
Appointed by the monarchy, Royal Warrants are patents that permit a company to use the Royal Arms on packaging as a mark of recognition of its ongoing supply of goods to the royal household. A tradition that dates back to the 15th century, this coveted distinction has long been associated with lifting a brand’s status. Before this change, nine Champagne houses held royal warrants, which all had close relationships with the U.K. royals.
The news is particularly tough for Champagne Lanson, which received its royal warrant from Queen Victoria in 1900 and has proudly displayed the royal seal on every bottle since. The U.K. is Lanson’s largest market, and the brand has previously levied its Royal Warrant status to establish partnerships with prestigious events such as the Wimbledon tennis tournament.
Once awarded, Royal Warrants are often an important part of a brand’s identity, which is why so many recipients were nervous when King Charles III ascended to the throne. Following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, the brands she awarded were permitted to keep using the coat of arms for up to two years. And now that these titles are up for review, it’s clear that King Charles III has no hesitation in revoking the status of certain brands.
After these changes, only six French Champagne houses have retained their royal status: Bollinger, Louis Roederer, Pol Roger, Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, and Laurent-Perrier, which was most recently awarded the title in 2024. Notably, Camel Valley, a producer of English sparkling wines was also granted a warrant in May 2024, showing support for the growing market of local bubbly.
This news comes at an already dreary time for Champagne, with global sales falling 9.2 percent in 2024. And with some reports arguing that official royal approval helps businesses increase sales by 5 percent each year, brands can only hope that this doesn’t intensify the blow.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source vinepair.com ’
