If England mourns its Queen, it is also the case for the champagne house Mumm, which was very often on the banquet table of Elizabeth II.
The history between the royal family of England and the Champagne house Mumm is not new. In 1886, the British Crown recognized G.H. Mumm Champagne as the official supplier of Her Majesty Queen Victoria and her son, Prince Albert-Eduard of Wales, the future Edward VII.
This recognition was granted by the “Royal warrant”, a warrant issued to companies supplying goods or services to a royal court or certain members of the royal family. This precious document, written by hand, bears an official seal and the signature of the Lord Steward at the head of the Royal Household. It was originally valid for ten years, but was later reduced to five years.
In the 1900s, many royal families from all over Europe, from Austria-Hungary, Belgium, the Netherlands, Prussia, Denmark, Sweden and Norway, were won over by the Mumm style. As the official supplier to the Royal Court of England, Mumm champagne was served at the coronation of Edward VII in 1902 and at the Derby Day banquet at Buckingham Palace in 1904. The House of Mumm displayed this recognition by creating a special label: “G.H.Mumm et Co Champagne des Souverains” on which the coats of arms of its customers appear.
But to celebrate the jubilee of its reign last June, the court committed an infidelity to Champagne Mumm by tasting, for the first time, an English sparkling wine made from pinot noir, meunier and chardonnay grown in Kent and West Sussex. The bottle was also labeled with the embroidery of the Queen’s dress.
Regarding the Champagne, it will be necessary, following the death of the Queen, to make some changes to the label on the bottles, as explained by Sebastien Lebon, ambassador at Mumm, to France 3: “Initially, a new mention will be affixed to the mandate. It will no longer say Our Majesty The Queen, but rather The Late Queen and we will have a new commission in 2024 that will decide whether or not to continue to award us this warrant.”
Read also > PORTRAIT : THE GREAT LADY OF BUCKINGHAM SAYS GOODBYE
Featured photo : © Getty images/ Tim Graham
