This year we celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and what better time than now to look at the top shooting companies that hold a Royal Warrant.
Royals have long been lovers of the countryside and shooting – it can be traced back to King Charles II who introduced the French practice of shooting at flying birds upon the restoration of the monarchy in 1660.
A Royal Warrant is a mark of recognition of those who supply goods or services to the Households of HM The Queen or HRH The Prince of Wales for at least five years. There are a few companies who could fit the bill (like Tarrant Refrigeration & Air Conditioning who produce game larders, or Agri Cycle who can recycle plastic shotgun cartridges), but this is a shortlist of the top traditional shooting companies.
James Purdey & Sons
Founded in 1814 and Warrant Holders since 1868, James Purdey & Sons are passionate about perfecting the craft of gunmaking and are committed to innovation, which is instilled in the Purdey family history. Purdey is the home of the ‘best’ London gun, producing the finest-quality shotguns, rifles, clothing and shooting equipment.
Purdey hold Royal Warrants as gun and cartridge makers for both The Queen and The Prince of Wales and they also held a Warrant for The Duke of Edinburgh before his death, making them one of the few brands to hold a Royal Warrant for all three of the major royals.
Holland and Holland
Since 1835, Holland & Holland has excelled in making the finest bespoke shotguns and rifles. In addition to their standing as a gunmaker, Holland & Holland’s prestigious London grounds help to hone the skills of the both shotgun and rifle shots. Their clothing has also recently been reinvented by Stella Tennant and Isabella Cawdor.
Holland & Hollandoutfit The Prince of Wales as Suppliers with bespoke guns, shooting accessories and country clothing.
Hull Cartridge
For over 75 years Hull Cartridge have been manufacturing shotgun cartridges for both game and competition shooting, and they are continually developing new eco friendly technologies to keep up with an ever changing sport.
Hull Cartridge is The Queen’s supplier of shotgun cartridges.
Campbell’s of Beauly
Established in 1858, Campbell’s of Beauly is an iconic privately owned, family-run bespoke tailors & country outfitters. Employing a full time tailor and five seamstresses in the tailoring department, all bespoke garments are made onsite and the Campbell’s name is synonymous with quality craftsmanship and attention to detail.
Campbells of Beauly have been tailors to The Queen since 2017 and are tailors and tweed mercers to The Prince of Wales.
Hunter Boots
Founded in 1856, Hunter is a progressive British heritage brand renowned for its iconic Original boot. The brand has a rich history of innovation, creating footwear and outerwear to protect the wearer from inclement weather and perform across all terrains.
Suppliers of waterproof footwear to The Queen, there is even a model of boot named after the royal residence in Scotland, Balmoral.
Lock & Co
Founded in 1676 by Robert Davis, Lock & Co’s St. James’s Street shop is the 34th worlds oldest family-owned business.
Lock & Co are synonymous with shooting, they created the Bowler hat in 1849 at the request of Edward Coke to provide protection for his gamekeepers. They are currently The Prince of Wales go-to supplier of hats.
J. Barbour & Sons
Barbour is an English brand founded in 1894 that has expanded into having a global presence, however it is still based in South Shields, Tyne and Wear. It is hard to move on a driven game day without seeing one of Barbour’s famous waxed jackets and The Queen can often be seen out in the field wearing one.
In 1974 Barbour received its first Royal Warrant from The Duke of Edinburgh and went on to be awarded one from The Queen in 1982 and then a third from The Prince of Wales in 1987.
Land Rover
Just like Barbour you will struggle to spent time in the shooting field without spotting a Land Rover, whether it is a brand new top of the range Range Rover or an old and battered Series III.
The first Royal Warrant granted to Land Rover was in 1951 by HM King George VI, and they have gone on to be granted Warrants by The Queen, the Queen Mother, The Prince of Wales and The Duke of Edinburgh.
