Aston Martin has officially begun using a new Royal Warrant, following its appointment by King Charles III.
The historic British auto brand will now display King Charles’ Royal Arms alongside its iconic winged badge, for the first time in its 112-year history.
The warrant, initially confirmed in May 2024, became formally operational following the release of the king’s new Royal Crest by the College of Arms, the historical body responsible for overseeing heraldic symbols connected to the British monarchy.
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Aston Martin CEO Adrian Hallmark described the granting of the Royal Warrant as a pivotal moment reinforcing the company’s longstanding relationship with the British royal family, and said the recognition is an acknowledgment of the carmaker’s craftsmanship, design and engineering excellence.
The connection between Aston Martin and the British royals dates back nearly seven decades starting in 1954, when Prince Philip acquired a 3.0-litre Lagonda.
The following year the Duke of Kent took possession of a DB2/4, which won the 1955 Monte Carlo Rally. However, the most iconic vehicle associated with royalty is arguably King Charles III’s DB6 Volante.
A longstanding Aston Martin enthusiast, King Charles has owned his DB6 since 1973. It featured prominently during the wedding celebrations of the Prince and Princess of Wales in 2011, when it was driven through cheering crowds down The Mall.
The king’s DB6 also took centre stage at the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in Birmingham in 2022, and again at a major Aston Martin Owners Club gathering at Sandringham in 2024.
Aston Martin first received a Royal Warrant from King Charles III in 1982, when he was Prince of Wales. This initial warrant officially recognised Aston Martin as a “Motor Car Manufacturer and Repairer” to the heir apparent.
Established in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford, Aston Martin quickly developed a reputation for producing high-performance, luxury sports cars. Known initially for its racing vehicles, the brand gained broader acclaim through its involvement in motorsport, including multiple successes at Le Mans.
The merger with Lagonda in 1947 under Sir David Brown, whose initials inspired the legendary DB model series, was a significant turning point for the marque, launching some of its most celebrated cars such as the DB5, made famous by an array of James Bond films.
These days the Aston Martin brand is not only represented in Formula 1, but produces a range of luxury/performance models including the Vantage V8 Coupe and Roadster, the DB12 Coupe and Volante, the Vanquish V12 Coupe and Volante, the mid-engined Valhalla plug-in hybrid supercar, the Valkyrie hypercar, and the DBX luxury SUV.
