Kate Middleton Will Issue Her First Royal Warrant This Spring – Here’s Why It Matters

It’s official: new royal warrants are on the way. Confirmed last year by the palace, the Prince and Princess of Wales will soon be stepping into a new role – joining the King and Queen in handing out royal warrants for the first time. Beginning their new roles this spring, the next generation of royals are about to shake up the usual list of brands with fresh picks for 2026. And, naturally, all eyes are fixed on Kate Middleton – and who she might be giving her royal warrants to first.

A Guide To Kate Middleton’s Royal Warrant List

A royal warrant is one of the most prestigious endorsements a brand can aspire to. Signalling their role within the royal household – as well a particular royal family member’s favour – the emblem is awarded only to a handful of brands and businesses, considered to be some of the best in the world. 

And not every member of the royal family gets to offer their seal of approval. Only the reigning monarch – in this case, King Charles – decides who amongst his kin get to bestow royal warrants. And since ascending to the throne in 2022, he has kept the role between himself and Queen Camilla. Until now. The King has invited Prince William and Princess Catherine to give out their own royal warrants from spring 2026, opening the pool of possibility even wider for brands.

Confirming the news last summer, the Princess of Wales’ private secretary, Ian Wright, said that: ‘Their Royal Highnesses are delighted to be able to recognise and celebrate British industry, creativity, and skills through the granting of warrants.’

The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

But it’s worth noting that it’s rare for a new royal to be welcomed into the fold of royal warrant granting – King Charles has been doing the job for over 40 years – so when it happens, it’s considered a pretty big deal. Even more so when the royal in question is Kate Middleton.

She will become the first Princess of Wales in 116 years to grant a royal warrant. Kate Middleton’s late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, was never given the role by the late Queen Elizabeth II, and, before her, Queen Mary (the Queen Mother) only gave out her own royal warrants as the Princess of Wales from 1901 until 1910. Four generations later, the tradition has finally been picked back up again.

But it’s about more than reviving tradition; Kate Middleton also has her own sway. She’s the royal family’s biggest tastemaker, and the woman behind some of the UK’s biggest fashion trends. The ‘Kate Effect’ – a term coined by her ability to make items sell out, brands flourish and small businesses blow up just by wearing something – has never been bigger. It’s estimated that the Princess of Wales’ impact on the fashion industry is worth up to £1 billion – and with royal certification now backing her choice of brands, this figure could go even higher. 

When Will Kate Middleton Start Giving Our Royal Warrants?

Kate Middleton will start bestowing her royal warrant to brands this spring, when she and the Prince of Wales officially step into their new roles as Grantors of Royal Warrants. 

© ITV

Who Will Receive A Royal Warrant?

It’s the big question: who will get Kate Middleton’s royal warrant? The Princess of Wales has shown plenty of interest in a variety of brands over the years – we round up some of her favourite fashion labels here – but her definitive list has yet to be revealed. 

So, what does it take to be a royal warrant holder? According to the Royal Warrants Holder Association, a warrant may be granted to a brand, business or individual if they have supplied the royal household ‘with goods or services for at least five years out of the past seven years, and have an ongoing trading relationship.’ 

And once issued, the recipient can display the appropriate Royal Arms on their product, packaging, stationery, advertising, premises and vehicles for up to five years.

Some of the Princess of Wales’ go-to brands already have a royal warrant from the King and Queen – including homegrown labels Burberry and Barbour, who are backed by the King, and British milliner Philip Treacy, who boasts a royal warrant from the Queen – but it’s very likely she could add her own endorsement on top, since brands can have multiple royal warrants from different members of the royal family. 

Royal fashion forecasters have also shared their predictions for Kate Middleton’s list. Susan Kelley, founder of the What Kate Wore style blog, told Town & Country that the likes of Catherine Walker, Erdem, Beulah London, Jenny Packham, Brora, Campbell’s of Beauly and Dubarry of Ireland could all be top contenders.

It’s not just fashion labels that could benefit from a royal warrant; the Princess of Wales could give her approval to any number of brands working within the remits of luxury and everyday essentials. Historically, the royal seal has also been given to jewellery, homeware, beauty, food and drink, vehicles and even cleaning supplies brands – so the list of contenders is huge.

© RHS

There isn’t a fixed limit on how many royal warrants can be given out, but the exclusive club of approved brands usually ranges from around 800 to 900 at any given time. (The number changes throughout the year, since royal warrants eventually expire; an initial grant lasts five years, before being renewed or voided.) 

After becoming king in 2022, Charles continued his ongoing list of roughly 180 royal warrants from his time as the Prince of Wales (he started giving out his seal in 1980), and began bestowing new titles in 2024. By the end of the year, he and Queen Camilla had amassed over 400 new grants in total. 

Neither Prince William nor Princess Catherine had any ongoing royal warrants prior to now, so we assume their lists will be much smaller. On average, the royal family awards 30 warrants annually – despite the total remaining in the hundreds. But never say never; this is a special occasion, so there could be a few surprises in store.