For the first time in its 112-year history, Aston Martin’s iconic wings will sit alongside the British sovereign’s Royal Coat of Arms, after the Gaydon-based manufacturer received the Royal Warrant from His Majesty King Charles III.
Aston Martin has added the prestigious Royal Coat of Arms to its brand image, following the publication of the new Royal Coat of Arms of King Charles III by the College of Arms. Confirmation of the new royal patent was made official last May.
Founded in 1484, the College of Arms is responsible for creating and maintaining official registers of coats of arms and pedigrees. Its heralds are members of the Royal Household and act under the authority of the Crown.
King Charles III has been a member of the Aston Martin Owners Club since 1973. Aston Martin has held a Royal Warrant as an automobile manufacturer and repairer from His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales since 1982, and now bears the Sovereign’s coat of arms for the first time.
A close link with the Royal Family for 80 years
The granting of a new Royal Patent follows Aston Martin’s award for innovation by the King’s Award for Enterprise in 2024. It continues Aston Martin Lagonda’s 80-year history with the Royal Family. It dates back to 1954, when Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, took delivery of a three-liter Lagonda. The following year, Queen Elizabeth II’s cousin, the Duke of Kent, acquired a DB2/4 from the Aston Martin team that had won the 1955 Monte Carlo Rally. But it was the King’s beloved DB6 Mk2 Volante that remained an icon of the Royal Family’s long association with the brand and British sports cars made by Aston Martin.
More recently, the DB6 Mk2 Volante was at the heart of the Prince and Princess of Wales’ wedding in 2011, with the royal couple leaving the Mall at the wheel of an Aston Martin. In 2020, as Prince of Wales, His Majesty officially opened Aston Martin’s new state-of-the-art DBX SUV manufacturing facility in St Athan, Wales. This marked the start of production of the first production vehicle to be built in the principality for over 50 years.
In 2022, the same car offered a grand entrance to the King and Queen at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and more recently (in 2024) it was exhibited in Sandringham at a gathering of the Aston Martin Owners Club.
“This appointment by Her Majesty represents a proud and historic moment for Aston Martin, reinforcing our long-standing and valued relationship with the Royal Family,” commented Adrian Hallmark, Aston Martin CEO. “Proudly displaying our brand image, the Royal Warrant is testament to the dedication of our employees and our unwavering commitment to the values of British design, craftsmanship and technical excellence.”
Photos credits: bestimage
