Cambridge blues and royals

King William IV by Sir Martin Archer Shee, c 1800

1765-1837. King from 1830-37

There are not many similarities between the last King William and the new Duke of Cambridge who will one day become the next King William. The title conferred upon him by the Queen was not the one I thought, (Clarence), but rather that which William IV's younger brother held.

But both William IV and Prince William of Wales do seem to favour a more frugal lifestyle to the person who was their predecessor, (George IV in William IV's case, and Prince Charles whom we assume will be Prince William's predecessor as king).

These historical pointers notwithstanding, the one attribute that struck me as a casual observer, was what manly men both princes William and Harry are, compared to their father and uncles. This is enhanced by their almost indifference to the status which they hold, a trait not unlike their grandmother.

Okay, enough already.

What's in a name?

Clarence House, London

Clarence House was built between 1825-1827 to a design by John Nash, and commissioned by the Duke of Clarence, who became King William IV in 1830. There has been specualtion about the title that will be conferred on Prince William on the day of his marriage, (so as to provide his wife with a title and name). The royal dukedom of Clarence is one such name mentioned, and it would indeed be an interesting repeat, as William will accede to the throne as King William V.

The popular press will doubtless continue to call Catherine "Kate", just as they called the late Princess of Wales "Princess Diana". Neither were born royal princesses, so they cannot correctly use that nomenclature.

Clarence House is attached to St James's Palace, and shares gardens with that property. It underwent extensive renovations after the death of Queen Elizabeth, who had lived there from 1953 until 2002. It is now the London residence of the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry, and will remain the London residence of the newlyweds. 

Images of the interior of the house can be seen on the British Monarchy website here.

My photograph is from a visit to London in autumn 2008. It is perhaps surprising to note the very minimal security, in the person of one sentry.

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).