Cadbury, a favourite chocolate brand of the late Queen Elizabeth II, has been stripped of its Royal Warrant for the first time in over 170 years.
It appears that King Charles may not share the same affinity with the purple-packaged chocolate, with its removal from the list suggesting Cadbury won’t be stocked for members of the Royal Family.
According to a list published by Buckingham Palace’s Royal Warrant Holders Association, the brand is among almost 100 others removed in the latest update.
Marking another blow to Cadbury owners, Mondelēz UK, it means the brand won’t be able to use the Royal Arms logo on its packaging going forward.
According to the Mail Online, brands that had their royal warrant stripped were informed by letter and will have 12 months to remove the branding from their packages.
Cadbury has issued a response following the recent news: “Ours is a much-loved brand that has been a part of British life for generations and remains the nation's favourite chocolate."
The spokesperson continued: "While we are disappointed to be one of hundreds of other businesses and brands in the UK not to have a new warrant awarded, we are proud to have previously held one and we fully respect the decision.”
The Royal Warrant is an accolade awarded to people and brands that regularly provide services and goods to the royal household. There are currently around 800 warrant holders in the country, and grantees hold the warrant for up to five years before they need to reapply.
First introduced in the 15th century, Cadbury was awarded its first accolade by Queen Victoria in 1854.
Known for popular UK confectionery, including Dairy Milk, Roses, and Creme Eggs, the brand was said to be a particular favourite of Queen Elizabeth, who would have Bournville delivered every Christmas.
Instead of the more affordable Cadbury treats, chocolatiers Bendricks and Prestat earned their royal warrants in the latest round. Nestle also kept its spot among the royal warrant recipients.
Other notable brands were also omitted from the list, including Unilever, which is known for producing confectionery and spreads like Marmite.
Earlier this year, Charles was urged by campaign group B4Ukraine to take warrants from companies "still operating in Russia" after the invasion of Ukraine, naming Mondelez, which owns Cadbury, and Unilever.
A Mondelez International spokesperson said: "Whilst we are disappointed to be one of hundreds of other businesses and brands in the UK to not have a new warrant awarded, we are proud to have previously held one, and we fully respect the decision."
A Unilever spokesperson said: "We are very proud of the long history our brands have supplying the Royal Household and of the warrants they have been awarded during this time, most recently by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
"The granting of royal warrants is a matter for the Royal Household."
It is understood that brands who have had the royal warrant removed aren’t always told the reason why the decision has been made.
