Cadbury famously once had a glass and a half of milk in every pub, but after it was removed from King Charles’s authorized list, Cadbury no longer has royal approval.
The chocolate brand first received royal recognition from Queen Victoria in 1854 and was reportedly a favorite of Queen Elizabeth II until her death in 2022.
However, it is just one of 100 brands and products whose authorizations have been revoked during the reign of King Charles, according to the latest list released by the Buckingham Palace Royal Warrant Holders Association.
This is the second list released by the king since he ascended the throne. The only two chocolatiers nominated are Bendicks and Prestat, while Nestlé remains on the list.
Luxury chocolatier Charbonnel et Walker Ltd has also been removed from the list since it was last on the list in April 2023 in the name of Queen Elizabeth II.
Royal Warrants, issued since the 15th century, formally recognize a company or individual’s provision of products or services to the Crown.
Each Warrant may be granted for a term of up to five years at a time. The king first issued an arrest warrant in 1980, when he was still the Prince of Wales.
Another big brand missing from the list is Unilever, which makes items including Marmite, All-purpose ice cream bars and Pot Noodles.
The news is a blow to Cadbury owner Mondelēz UK, whose profits fell by a third to £88.1m in the year to December 2023.
Britain’s best-known chocolatier was controversially acquired by US company Kraft in 2010, and parts of its business were subsequently spun off to its current owner, Mondelēz International.
According to the Daily Mail, people who lost their arrest warrants were informed of the decision, but not the reason.
They have 12 months to remove any branding associated with the Royal Warrant from their goods.
Several companies received warrants for the first time, including those linked to Queen Camilla. These include hairdresser Jo Hansford and Wartski jewellers.
When the king and queen got married in April 2005, the latter made them wedding rings.
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Cadbury, founded in 1824 in Bourneville, Birmingham, is the subject of a campaign calling on King Charles to distance himself from the company as Mondelez International continues to operate under Vladimir Putin .
B4Ukraine activists say the company is among those indirectly contributing to Russia’s war effort by continuing to work in the country.
“We urge the royal family to stand with Ukraine and make it clear that companies that contribute to the suffering and destruction in Ukraine will not be granted the privileges and honors of holding a royal mandate,” activists wrote to the king ahead of his birthday. The Telegraph reported in June.
However, the decision appears to have nothing to do with the campaign, as Bacardi and Samsung were also included in the list and still hold Royal Warrants.
In a statement provided to the Guardian, a spokesperson for Mondelēz International said: “Cadbury is a much-loved brand that has been part of British lives for generations and remains the country’s favorite chocolate.
“While we are disappointed to be one of hundreds of businesses and brands across the UK not to be granted a new warrant, we are proud to have previously held one and we fully respect this decision.”
Buckingham Palace told the Guardian it does not comment on individual royal warrants.