THE owner of a Tynedale company has spoken out on being granted a Royal Warrant by the Queen.

A Royal Warrant of Appointment is granted as a mark of recognition to people or companies who have regularly supplied goods or services to The Queen, the former Prince of Wales (now King Charles III) or their households.

Businesses with a Royal Warrant can display a Royal coat of arms and advertise that they provide goods or services 'by appointment to' that Royal.

AGMA, which manufactures speciality chemical blended products at its site in Haltwhistle, was first granted a Royal Warrant by Queen Elizabeth in 1982.

Malcolm Franklin, owner and managing director of the firm, said: "It's something not just handed to you on a plate, it's something that you have to achieve a certain level of quality to get and that's very important to us that we are able to say we have done that.

"We see it very much as a mark of excellence."

AGMA's warrant was renewed once again earlier this year.

"Every so often we had to reapply to renew our royal warrant, which is a fairly arduous process," said Mr Franklin. "They want a lot of information about your business, and what you do with regard to health and safety, sustainability and looking after the environment etc. I think that reflected the now King and his interests.

"We were successful in that, and we were very pleased."

However, all Royal Warrants automatically expire on the death of the Royal who granted them, and firms have two years to remove the coat of arms from their products, vehicles and stationery.

The Royal Household will review Warrant grants upon a change of the reigning Sovereign.

"I'm hoping there won't be any change," said Mr Franklin. "Unlike if we were a tailor where you would supply directly to the Queen or an individual, we supply the royal household with goods - cleaning products and so forth - so it's slightly different."

Mr Franklin said the only direct contact he had with the Queen was when she handed him a trophy after a horse he part-owned won a race at the Royal Ascot.

"She was lovely," he said. "Racing is her thing, so we had something to talk about."