- Title: Merchandise fit for a Prince to boost British economy
- Date: 9th March 2018
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (MARCH 8, 2018) (REUTERS) COMMEMORATIVE PLATE AND CUP WITH HENRY AND MEGHAN, 19TH MAY 2018 HALCYON DAYS SHOW ROOM WITH COMMEMORATIVE CROCKERY ON DISPLAY HALCYON DAYS BOX/HENRY AND MEGHAN CUP AND SAUCER VARIOUS TEXT INSIDE SMALL BOX READING "IN CELEBRATION OF THE MARRIAGE OF HRH PRINCE HENRY OF WALES AND MS. MEGHAN MARKLE 19TH MAY 2018 STOKE-ON-TRENT, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FEBRUARY 27, 2018) (REUTERS) VARIOUS MOULDER POURING CLAY INTO MOULD EXCESS CLAY POURED AWAY OUT ON MOULD TEAPOT TAKEN OUT OF MOULD AND PUT ON SHELF SOUNDBITE (English) HALCYON DAYS CLAY CASTER, STEVE MASON, SAYING: "In some ways it's a normal day in the office but we also realise, you know, what we are producing is for the Royal collection. So we're quite proud of it, yeah." CLAY CUT AS MAN WORKS TO SHAPE PLATES MAN PREPARING PLATES MADE OUT OF CLAY CLAY TEAPOTS, SAUCERS, PLATES AND BOWLS ON HUGE BAKING TRAYS BEING PUSHED IN FACTORY TRAYS PUSHED INTO KILNS KILN DOOR BEING CLOSED DECORATOR WORKSHOP VARIOUS OF WORKER APPLYING ROYAL WEDDING COMMEMORATIVE PATTERN ONTO MUG WORKER'S FACE VARIOUS OF WORKER APPLYING PATTERNS ONTO TEA CUPS AND TEA POTS HEART ON TEAPOT WITH UNION JACK AND AMERICAN FLAG BRUSH TAKEN OUT OF DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE MUG VARIOUS OF GILDER SUSAN CARTER APPLYING GOLD FINISH ONTO MERCHANDISE, A PROCESS KNOWN AS GILDING SOUNDBITE (English) HALCYON DAYS GILDER, SUSAN CARTER, SAYING: "I think yes I think that it's a buzz about it, yes definitely. I think you know it's a massive, you know, massive thing to do and obviously doing the different kinds of pottery for the year for the wedding and birth. So yes it is a big buzz." GOLD FINISH APPLIED TO MUG GOLD FINISH APPLIED TO PLATE VARIOUS OF FINISHED COMMEMORATIVE CROCKERY ON TABLE SOUNDBITE (English) CEO AND CHAIRMAN OF HALCYON DAYS, PAMELA HARPER, SAYING: "I think it's really about each individual brand or manufacturer will have its own strategy around events like this. For Halcyon Days it's part and parcel of who we are. You know, the brand was formed in 1950, and since 1950 has been an iconic part of English life. And the brand has for, probably since its inception, really been very focused on recording memorable events in English life and the life of the nation. And for us it would be inconceivable not to do product." PATTERN ON PLATE READING (English) "HENRY AND MEGHAN 19TH MAY 2018" VARIOUS OF COMMEMORATIVE WEDDING CROCKERY SOUNDBITE (English) CEO AND CHAIRMAN OF HALCYON DAYS, PAMELA HARPER, SAYING: "You know, I think it's there for all to see how important, joyous national events like this can bring very good things to the life of the nation whether that's in the tourism industry, or for hotels and restaurants, hospitality, or for small businesses like ours where gifting is very key and the ability to purchase a small piece which will be a reminder of a joyous national occasion. It's absolutely really positive for the economy as a whole. definitely." TWO CUPS COMMEMORATING THE WEDDING OF BRITAIN'S PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (MARCH 5, 2018) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANAGING DIRECTOR, BRAND FINANCE, RICHARD HAIGH, SAYING: "We believe that the overall value to the UK economy is going to be just over a billion pounds. We originally estimated it would be about 500 million back in January but considering the excitement in the last couple of months, we've revised that up. That breaks down into about 300 million for travel and tourism. About 300 million for free PR for the UK and media exposure. About 250 million for retailers. About 150 million as informal endorsements on fashion brands and things like that. And then about 50 million on merchandise sales so plate sales and doilies and other things that can be commercially endorsed by the royal family." LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (MARCH 8, 2018) (REUTERS) COMMEMORATIVE PLATE COMMEMORATIVE SAUCER / CUP BEING PLACED ON SAUCER
- Embargoed: 23rd March 2018 08:50
- Keywords: Prince Harry Meghan Markle Royal Wedding UK Economy Royal merchandise luxury gifts
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM/STOKE-ON-TRENT,ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM/STOKE-ON-TRENT,ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Royals
- Reuters ID: LVA001865H45J
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: After nearly 70 years of producing royal merchandise, British luxury gift manufacturer Halcyon Days is hoping the upcoming wedding of Britain's Prince Harry and his American fiancee Meghan Markle will be a happy one for them as well as the bride and groom.
The wedding, set for May 19 in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, could be worth as much as one billion pounds ($1.38 billion) to the UK economy according to one estimate. Halcyon Days expects its sales to receive a boost of between 10 to 15 percent.
At the Halcyon Days ceramics factory in Stoke-on-Trent, a city in central England famed for the production of pottery, porcelains, and bone china, the firm is busy manufacturing a range of mugs, plates, teapots to commemorate the marriage.
Clay casters and gilders have been caught up in the excitement surrounding the royal wedding.
"In some ways it's a normal day in the office but we also realise, you know, what we are producing is for the Royal collection. So we're quite proud of it," said Steve Mason who has been a caster for 49 years.
The firm is one of only fourteen to hold royal warrants - a certificate for providing goods and services to the royal households - from the queen, her husband Prince Philip and heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles.
"There's a huge opportunity for us to merchandise product around events like this," said Pamela Harper, Halcyon Days' chief executive.
"I think it's there for all to see how important, joyous, national events like this can bring very good things to the life of the nation whether that's in the tourism industry, or for hotels and restaurants, hospitality, or for small businesses like ours," she added.
Since the engagement was announced last November, there has been huge media attention focused on the couple, with Harry, the fifth-in-line to the throne, one of the most popular members of the British royal family and Markle, an actress known for her role in U.S. TV drama "Suits".
"We believe that the overall value to the UK economy is going to be just over a billion pounds," said Richard Haigh, managing director of brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance.
"We originally estimated it would be about 500 million back in January but considering the excitement in the last couple of months, we've revised that up," he added.
Halcyon Days has produced a number of commemorative collections ahead of the royal wedding, including a ribbon-themed set and a "Special Relationship" collection combining the U.S. and the British national flags.
"It's part and parcel of who we are," said Harper. "There's been a huge amount of interest in the wedding. It's absolutely really positive for the economy as a whole, definitely." - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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