Last year, we wrote the following: ‘Being appointed a Royal Warrant holder is still the highest form of accolade and influence. United in their commitment to the highest quality of service, sustainability and responsible environmental practice — these remarkable organisations are known and trusted by The King.’
Few organisations are as well known, or as trusted, by The King than Aston Martin (or, officially, Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings Plc). It should therefore come as no surprise that they are one of the latest organisations to receive one. Perhaps more surprising is that it’s taken this long.
EV exemption for Aston Martin, McLaren, others
The good news continues for Aston Martin, who have been granted something of a stay of execution in a recent announcement from the government this morning.
In short, this means that companies that produce fewer than 2,500 cars per year, such as Caterham, will now not be forced to electrify their offerings in a way that might be unsustainable financially. However, the plan for all cars sold after 2030 (or 2035, who knows) is still in place.
Protecting ‘some of the UK’s most iconic jewels for years to come’ is given as a primary reason for the decision. No doubt Aston Martin and others will appreciate the extra runway to get their affairs in order.
A quite literal Royal Seal of Approval, the relationship between Aston Martin and The King dates back to 1982, when the company was first granted a warrant as a ‘Motor Car Manufacturer and Repairer to the Prince of Wales’. The royal connection stretches even further, with Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, purchasing a Lagonda Drophead in 1954. He even took it with him on his Commonwealth tour of 1956–7, winching it aboard the yacht Britannia.
The King’s first (and, indeed, current) Aston Martin was a DB6 Volante Series II in Seychelles Blue, that was purchased for him by his parents in 1969. ‘It is one of the great cars,’ he said at the time. ‘I adore the design and the lines. They are special. I remember Lord Snowdon had a marvellous DB5 in a beautiful gunmetal colour. It was always the car to have.’
Not content with just one Aston Martin, The King also owned this Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante, which was sold for charity in 1995. The centre armrest had a custom leather-trimmed sugar-lump jar, to house treats for his polo ponies.
In keeping with The King’s commitment to the environment and sustainability, his DB6 now runs on E85 bioethanol. The car was also used by the Prince of Wales and Princess of Wales, then Prince William and Catherine, at their wedding in 2011.
‘Displayed with pride across our branding, the Royal Warrant is a testament to the dedication of our employees and our unwavering commitment to the values of British design, craftsmanship, and engineering excellence,’ comments Adrian Hallmark, Aston Martin CEO. ‘Principles that His Majesty has steadfastly championed.’
-
Sold, singed and sunk: The sorry tale of Normanton HallFew English country houses suffered more than Normanton Hall.
-
A Clarkson's Farm of one's own: Five properties with just enough farmland for you and your family, from under £1 millionMoving to the country is one thing; moving to the country and being able to grow and rear all your own food is another level entirely, and all these properties offer exactly that.
-
Rust-free romance: hire a classic, not the headachesWant to drive a classic car, but don't fancy the headaches of ownership? Why not borrow one for a day and explore the most beautiful parts of England while you're at it.
-
(Space) oddities: New David Bowie centre opens at V&A East StorehouseThe museum will house and display the largest collection of the artist's costumes, musical instruments, set models, props and more.
-
Straw, stables and a bit of s**t: The fragrant story behind one of Hermès's most exclusive perfumesThis is the story of how one woman used fragrance to cure her fear of horses.
-
Goodwood Revival and the Scottish sheep farmer who dominated the world of motor racing in 1965The 2025 Goodwood Revival will celebrate the 60th anniversary of legendary race car driver Jim Clark's most impressive year.
-
The captivating art of the Japanese woodblockHokusai’s ferocious wave and Hiroshige’s relentless downpour stole the show at a sale of ukiyo-e prints earlier in the summer
-
Marie Antoinette: How the most fashionable queen in history transformed French styleMarie Antoinette’s passion for furniture and genius for bagatelles, however evanescent their purpose, filled the French royal palaces with beauty and charm, as a new show at the V&A Museum shows.
-
A feat of clay: How ceramics have taken on the fine art world'Not a Pot’, a sculptural pottery exhibition open at York Art Gallery, throws light onto the art form's evolution.
-
The Manot bed that made it from a Herefordshire attic to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, courtesy of Country LifeWhen Henry Avray Tipping spotted a 17th-century four poster languishing in a Herefordshire attic in 1911, he set off a chain of events that saw the bed leave its ancestral home and land at The Met in New York
