William And Kate Just Got A New Royal Perk From King Charles (Take That, Meghan)
As if being the heir apparent and queen consort weren't already a sweet deal, William and Catherine, Prince and Princess of Wales, just got another nice perk of the job. William's father (that's King Charles III to you) appointed the couple as Grantors of Royal Warrants of Appointment. In a nutshell, that means they can give their preferred merchants permission to use their royal seal in their product packaging and advertising for five years. It's essentially the British equivalent of the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. The current list of warrant holders includes sellers of everything from coffee to shoes and fire alarms to fertilizer.
The reigning monarch decides who can be a Grantor, and in recent years, only Charles and Queen Camilla had enjoyed the privilege. Giving the honor to the Waleses further solidifies their standing in the family and perhaps suggests that the relationship between Charles and William isn't as shaky as some rumors have claimed. As for the one between Charles and his younger son, this move would appear to be a bit of nose-thumbing at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Anyone who hasn't been hiding under a rock knows the former "Suits" actor has been trying to rebrand herself as a royal-ish Martha Stewart. She launched the Netflix series "With Love, Meghan" showcasing her cooking skills and created a branded gourmet product line. But Meghan's As ever rollout faced some hiccups when the company couldn't fulfill the demand for her honey. Buyers also found her fruit spreads left something to be desired. Seeing her in-laws get another boost in status might be disheartening for Meghan in the face of her faltering ventures.
Kate Middleton isn't likely to give As ever her seal of approval
Royal Warrants are granted to companies who have provided goods or services to the British royal family for five of the last seven years, and many are well-known products on that side of the pond. Shoppers can browse the aisles to see which smoked fishes, teas, fine cheeses, and, um... "toilet requisites" have the coat of arms showing they're preferred by the palace. Even if she were to apply for the honor (applications are being accepted through June 2026), Meghan Markle would be naive to think her As ever brand would get a warrant. It's doubtful William and Kate have ordered their sister-in-law's spreads for their morning scones or a scented candle for their country estate.
Meghan is currently facing backlash for using her kids, Archie and Lilibet, to sell her merch. Her new Mother's Day gift line includes candles themed to her children, including their birth dates and scents reflecting their personalities. For a royal who claims to want privacy for her family, this wasn't the best plan, and critics are accusing her of trying to cash in on the kids' royal status. Having a royal seal on her gift boxes would be a boost for Meghan, but that, too, would be seen as another attempt by the Sussexes to stay connected with the family they left behind.
In all, this seems like just another wedge in the divide between Team Montecito and Team Palace. One side has no issue spending $64 on a pillar candle; the other would prefer to reach for a $6 box of biscuits that an actual princess has enjoyed with her afternoon tea.