Royal Focus: Royal Warrants

The next time you enjoy some Twinning tea or Johnnie Walker you may want to take a close look at the package. You may have seen this particular image before and not known what it means.

Since the Middle Ages, tradesmen and companies that have provided a service or goods to the Sovereign have received formal recognition through a Royal Warrant. Originally this patronage took the form of 'royal charters' granted collectively to various guilds in trades and crafts, which later became known as livery companies.

The first on record was given by Henry II in 1155 to the Weavers Company. Over the centuries, the relationship evolved between the Crown and individual tradesmen and was formalized through 'royal warrants'.  Currently, only three members of the royal family grant royal warrants - The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales. When she was alive, the Queen Mother also granted warrants, which were kept valid until 2007 - five years after her death. They are granted to companies that have provided services to the royal family for a minimum of five years. Upon issue, the royal warrant allows the grantee or company to use 'By Royal Appointment' and display the royal coat of arms on their products such as stationery, advertisements and other printed material, in his or her premises and on delivery vehicles.

Royal warrants are initially granted for five years after which point they come up for review. Should the goods or service reduce in quality or the supply of the product is insufficient to the Royal Household, a royal warrant will not be renewed. The warrants may be cancelled at any time or automatically come up for review should the holder die, leaves the business or if the company goes bankrupt or is sold. Some companies have a record of royal warrants over a 100 years. The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales can grant only one warrant to any individual business, however, there are some companies that hold all three.

Royal warrants are granted for a number of products and services, including dry-cleaners to fishmongers, agricultural machinery to computer software.  There are currently approximately 800 Royal warrant holders, holding over 1,100 Royal warrants between them (some have more than one Royal warrant).

The Royal Tour of Canada 2010 - Day Six

On Day Six of the tour, the Queen and Prince Philip visited the province of Manitoba before returning to Toronto later on in the evening.

Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport welcomed its first passengers; Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh. When the Queen and Prince Philip deplaned at Bridge 7, they became the first official passengers to the airport, arriving in the new terminal, currently still under construction. 

Later on in the afternoon the Queen unveiled a statue of herself created by the late Leo Mol, Manitoba’s most famous artist and sculptor. Mol created the statue of The Queen for her visit to Manitoba in 1970. It stood in the courtyard of the Manitoba Centennial Centre, but was recently relocated to the garden of Government House.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh planted a shrub in the Government House garden, renamed the Queen Elizabeth II Gardens. This shrub, the Amber Jubilee Ninebark, was specially created in honour of The Queen’s upcoming Diamond Jubilee.

Accompanied by various dignitaries, en route to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights - the first national museum created in over 40 years - The Queen and Prince Philip crossed the striking Esplanade Riel (pedestrial bridge) to arrive at The Forks, where The Queen dedicated the cornerstone for the new museum.

For this historic dedication, The Queen used a stone from Runnymede – the site of the 1215 signing of the Magna Carta. Once officially opened in 2012, this national museum will be a national centre of learning, where Canadians and people from around the world can engage in discussion and commit to taking action against hate and oppression.

Afterwards the couple attended the Manitoba Homecoming Canadian Concert for Human Rights at The Forks, where the Queen delivered a speech.

The concert featured performances by various Manitoban performers, including Aboriginal drummers, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, as well as Manitoba born singer Chantal Kreviazuk.

© Marilyn Braun 2010

The Royal Report for Monday July 5, 2010 - A look back at The Queen's Royal Tours of Canada

In honor of The Queen and Prince Philip's 22nd visit to Canada, a look back at their royal visits and the long association royalty has had with Canada.

You can listen to the episode here

Publications mentioned

Hello! Canada Special Collectors Edition - The Life and Times of Queen Elizabeth II Celebrating Her Majesty's Royal Visit to Canada

From My Royal Collection

Royal Canada: a History of Royal Visits to Canada Since 1786

Resources used to research this episode

Macleans Magazine Commemorative Edition Royal Visit 2010 - July 5, 2010

Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family in Canada (Golden Jubilee

Canada's Queen: Elizabeth II: A Celebration of Her Majestys Friendship with the People of Canada

The Royal Tour: A Souvenir Album

Royal Canada: a History of Royal Visits to Canada Since 1786

 The Royal Report is on hiatus for the next two weeks and will return on Sunday July 25th, 2010 at 9:00PM EST (North America)

Topic to be determined

© Marilyn Braun 2010

The Royal Tour of Canada - Day Four and Five

Aside from the Vancouver Olympics, where is the best place to put your Canadian pride on display? In our nation's capital on the 143rd birthday of Canada! To top it all off we had the Queen of Canada to celebrate right along with us!

The Queen arrived in an open, horse-drawn landau, patriotically dressed in a red chiffon dress with a diamond maple leaf brooch, and a white hat with red flower. Ladies from the Royal family have been known to provide a compliment to the host country through their fashions and Her Majesty did not disappoint. As a matter of fact she could easily have blended in with the 100,000 flag-waving, revellers dressed in similar colors. I'll bet she doesn't have to worry about that very often.

To signal her arrival The Queen's Personal Canadian Flag was flown from the Peace Tower at Parliament Hill as she took the salute, inspected a Guard of Honor and watched a 21-gun salute, a fly-past and a march-past.

During her speech, which she made in both English and French she praised Canada's 'warmth and enthusiasm" and made reference to the Vancouver Olympics and the gold-medal win for Canada's hockey team.

On day five of the tour, which was meant to be her day-off, The Queen met privately with Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff at Rideau Hall. Mr Ignatieff had this to say after his meeting with her “I have to be discreet. She’s the Queen. I can’t share what she said other than to say she has a magnificent sense of humour and sense of the absurd,” he said.

Oh, if only to have been a fly on the wall...

© Marilyn Braun 2010

The Royal Tour of Canada 2010 - Day Three

Day Three of the Queen and Prince Philip's royal tour marked their arrival in our nations capital - Ottawa, Ontario.

It must have seemed like a regular day at the office, what with all of the plaques, windows and statues she unveiled. The first unveiling took place during a visit to the Canadian Museum of Nature where she unveiled a plaque dedicating The Queen's Lantern. This glass addition replaces the original tower of the Victoria Memorial Museum Building, built in 1910 to house this natural history museum, a 100 year-old building, designated a national historic site. The Lantern is dedicated to The Queen and her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, after whom the building was named.

After a short walkabout the couple arrived at the National Arts Centre to unveil a life-sized bronze statue of the late-jazz- legend Oscar Peterson, who played for the Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh during the 2002 Golden Jubilee celebrations in Toronto.

Her visit to Rideau Hall marks the second tree-planting of the tour. Rideau Hall is the official residence of the Governor General of Canada and the tree that the Queen planted, her fifth at Rideau Hall, is one of 120 trees planted by members of the Royal Family, heads of state and other dignitaries. A bronze plaque at the base of each tree indicates the name and title of the person who planted it and the species and date.

The last unveiling takes after her audience with Prime Minister Stephen Harper. She unveils the design for the Diamond Jubilee Window for the Senate of Canada, the upper chamber of the Parliament of Canada.  The Window will commemorate Her Majesty’s 60 years of service as Queen, to be celebrated in 2012, and that of Queen Victoria’s, celebrated in 1897.

The Queen also unveiled a design for a carving of The Queen for the Senate Foyer. This image of The Queen will be installed alongside the other five of Canada’s sovereigns (Victoria, Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII and George VI) who have reigned since Confederation.

© Marilyn Braun 2010

The Royal Tour of Canada 2010 - Day Two

Continuing their stop in Halifax, Nova Scotia, The Queen and Prince Philip visit coincided with the Celebrations marking the Canadian Naval Centenial - 100 years of proud service by the Royal Canadian Navy. The Queen also has a personal interest in the Royal Canadian Navy. She is patron of The Navy League of Canada, The Royal Canadian Naval Association and The Royal Canadian Naval Benevolent Fund.

The Duke of Edinburgh presented a certificate from the World Ship Trust to Canada's most famous and most decorated warship, HMCS Haida. HMCS Haida, a Tribal class warship built in England in 1941 it was Commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy in 1943. The certificate represents the prestigious International Maritime Heritage Award – bestowed on ships considered important to maritime history and heritage and honoring the legacy of those who served in HMCS Haida.

In the afternoon The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh visited the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Canada’s largest centre for ocean research. After this visit they board the naval frigate HMSC St John's for the International Fleet Review. This naval pageant featured about 22 foreign ships, each saluting the Queen as she passed by in the HMSC St. John's.

Later on in the day, The Duke of Edinburgh attended a reception with the the 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment The Duke of Edinburgh meeting members of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment at Government House. The Duke of Edinburgh acts as Colonel-in-Chief of many units, including the 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment. This long-serving regiment is the only regular force infantry battalion stationed in Atlantic Canada.

In the evening the couple attended a Celebration of Nova Scotia at the Cunard Centre, overlooking the Halifax port.  The evening celebrates Nova Scotians who have made significant contributions to their communities, province and country. These include recipients of the province’s highest honour – the Order of Nova Scotia – as well as the unsung heroes, who work quietly to make their communities better. During the event they were treated to performances by Nova Scotia musicians, dancers and singers. As well a performance by DRUM! a group of artists from Canada's Aboriginal, Black, Celtic and Acadian communities.
© Marilyn Braun 2010

All images via PicApp