By appointment to Her Majesty the Queen

[Harold Johanssen]

Not being a native English speaker, this is something that has
confused me for a long time:

In the label of many British products one can read the words

By appointment to Her Majesty the Queen

I take this to mean something like a seal of approval by the
Queen (I may be wrong though - would the Queen get into this kind of
thing?)

But, what is being appointed? Who is appointing it? Why "to". not
"by" the Queen?

I have asked a number of Britons about this, and they just had
never thought about it and were unable to give a satisfactory
explanation. Perhaps somebody in this group, British or not, might know
better?

[Peter T. Daniels]

This is more a question for alt.usage.english.

[pauljk]

"Peter T. Daniels" <gram...@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:cbbec81d-914a-47fc...@l7g2000vbj.googlegroups.com...

Or google.

See: http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=2094547

<Quote>
This is a formal phrase* that providers of goods or services to the British royal
family are entitled to use. It identifies them as a merchant that the Queen and
her family have chosen, implying that their products are of the highest quality
(or, since they can afford the best, they would have chosen someone else).

In order to get a Royal Warrant, as permission to state that one is
"by appointment to ..." is called, the provider must have supplied goods
or services to the Queen (or the Duke of Edinburgh, or the Prince of Wales)
for at least five of the most recent seven years, including some business
within the last 12 months. It is then entitled to apply through the Royal
Warrant Holders Association. More information is on their Web site,
www.royalwarrant.org.
_________________________
*With regard to the preceding comment: formal phrases such as this in the U.K.
have often been used, without change, for centuries. They therefore may use
language that sounds archaic, even odd, to modern ears.
It is correct exactly as given.
<Unquote>

pjk

[benl...@ihug.co.nz]

Actually, a fuller form of the statement that I have seen runs
something like "By appointment, purveyors of (whatever it is) to
H.M.the Q...." This would account for the preposition that puzzles you.

[Peter Duncanson [BrE]]

The Royal Warrantm as it is known is awarded to businesses that supply
goods to members of the royal family.

From the Royal website:
http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/Symbols/Royalwarrants.aspx

Royal warrants are granted to people or companies who have regularly
supplied goods or services for a minimum of five consecutive years
to The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh or The Prince of Wales.
....
Each of these members of the Royal Family can grant only one warrant
to any individual business, but a business may hold warrants from
more than one member of the Royal Family.

Advice on granting warrants ....

The warrants are a mark of recognition that tradesmen are regular
suppliers of goods and services to the Royal households. Strict
regulations govern the warrant, which allows the grantee or company
to use the legend 'By Appointment' and display the Royal coat of
arms on his products, such as stationery, advertisements and other
printed material, in his or her premises and on delivery vehicles.

A Royal warrant is initially granted for five years, after which
time it comes up for review by the Royal Household Tradesmen's
Warrants Committee. Warrants may not be renewed if the quality or
supply for the product or service is insufficient, as far as the
relevant Royal Household is concerned.
....
Warrant holders today represent a large cross-section of British
trade and industry (there is a small number of foreign names),
ranging from dry cleaners to fishmongers, and from agricultural
machinery to computer software.

Some firms have a record of Royal warrants reaching back over more
than 100 years. Warrant-holding firms do not provide their goods or
services free to the Royal households, and all transactions are
conducted on a strictly commercial basis.
....

--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)

[Mike L]

I feel sure there used to be a pretty ordinary butcher's shop in
Bristol which claimed to be "By appointment to Her Majesty Queen
Victoria" generations after the warrant must have expired.

I think some of the other North European monarchies do it, too.
--
Mike.

[Peter Duncanson [BrE]]

"Our most famous customer bought and ate our meat. She is now dead."

>I think some of the other North European monarchies do it, too.

--

[Robert Bannister]

My impression is that it is short for "by appointment purveyor of
[things] to Her Majesty the Queen", which is an awkward way of saying
"officially appointed to supply HM the Queen with [things]"


--
Robert Bannister

[Irwell]

'The Royal Shopping Guide' by Nina Grunfield gives a fascinating
history of the Royal Warrant Holders Association, plus detailed
accounts of the present day suppliers.

[benl...@ihug.co.nz]

Wikipedia s.v. "Royal warrant of appointment" mentions a score of
countries that have, or have had, such a custom, including Thailand,
Japan and Brazil.