Royal favours

The King and the Queen, as well as the other members of the Royal Family, regularly grant favours to organisations, such as for example:

The title ‘royal’

The title "royal" may be granted by the King to Belgian associations that have been in existence for more than 50 years continuously. Other criteria are also taken into account, such as good management, the not-for-profit purpose of the association, its vitality, etc.

Permanent Patronage

Permanent High Patronage from a member of the Royal Family is a moral favour granted for a period of two or five years to an association that has its registered office in Belgium.

The association must have an irreproachable, sound reputation and pursue laudable not-for-profit objectives of a sporting, charitable, cultural or scientific nature.

Permanent High Patronage by the King or Queen expires in the event of a change of reign. That of the other members of the Royal Family ceases in the event of a change of status.

Specific Patronage

Specific High Patronage from a member of the Royal Family is a favour granted to a not-for-profit event of a sporting, charitable, cultural or scientific nature

A prize

A member of the Royal Family may grant a prize to the winner of a competition or an exhibition. In case of a recurring event, this prize is granted every five years and linked to a significant anniversary date of the association. There can be exceptions to this principle for the period of five years, based on the importance or the national relevance of an event.

A Royal Warrant

The granting of a Royal Warrant is a mark of recognition for the quality of a service rendered to the King and Queen pertaining to regular supplies of goods and services.

The Warrant Holders are registered with the Association of Belgian Royal Warrant Holders “Les Fournisseurs brevetés de la Cour de Belgique – De Gebrevetteerde Hofleveranciers van België”.

The conditions for granting a royal warrant and the privileges and duties deriving from it are compiled in the document “A set of rules to be observed by holders of a Royal Warrant”.

The list of Holders of Royal Warrants is updated on 15 November of each year.

Honorary Presidency

This is a unique favour reflecting a specific, long-term link forged between the association or committee and the relevant member of the Royal Family. Consequently, this favour may be granted only to exemplary and hugely influential associations whose key activities have a privileged link with the relevant member of the Royal Family.

The Honorary Presidency for a member of the Royal Family is granted for a renewable period of two to five years.

The King's title of "Honorary Governor"

This favour is granted to certain service organisations.

A Royal Denomination

This refers to decisions to grant the name of a member of the Royal Family to a public thoroughfare (street, avenue, square, boulevard). Exceptionally, this favour is also granted to flowers, institutions, hospitals, ships, aircraft, hot-air balloons and bells.

Special Representative

The highly exceptional title of "Special Representative" may be accepted by a member of the Royal Family in response to a request from an international humanitarian agency whose main activity is consistent with the field of activity of the relevant member of the Royal Family.