Why Ketchup Bottles In The UK Have To Be Completely Redone Amid The Queen's Death

Queen Elizabeth II's death marks a lot of changes to the United Kingdom. Of course, the monarchy will change as Prince Charles becomes King Charles III and his children and their spouses gain new titles. But beyond the title changes, other things will have to change as well. According to USA Today, the current national anthem for the U.K. is called "God Save the Queen." This will immediately change to "God Save the King." All flags will be replaced to reflect King Charles III and even the money the British use will change — instead of featuring the face of the queen, the king's face will appear, although this can take years.

Even some big brands are facing changes. According to the Daily Mail, any brand that has the coveted coat of arms on its products must replace it. In this case, though, it is not so much about appearances but more about contracts. Displaying the coat of arms on a product is known as a "royal warrant" and in order to have the privilege of adding it to a product, the brand must have a contract that agrees to provide goods or services to the royal household. This contract is void in the event of death, meaning any brand that currently uses it must stop — although they have up to two years to remove the coat of arms from their products.

One of the biggest brands that will need to make this change is Heinz, which is known for its bearing the royal warrant on its ketchup bottles. Other brands affected by this change include Cadbury, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Gordon's, Bentley, Barbour, and Clarins. Companies wishing to continue their relationship with the royals must apply for a new royal warrant under King Charles III.