Sex toy brand given royal approval with Queen’s Award

It is the second royal award the company has received

(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A UK sex toy company has received the Queen’s Award for its continued success.

Lovehoney, based in Bath in Somerset, received the royal accolade Enterprise which is awarded for “outstanding continuous growth”.

The business was started in 2015 and its global sales have grown from £12 million to £56 million over six years - a growth of more than 366 per cent.

The royal seal of approval means the company will be permitted to use the Queen’s Award emblem in its advertising, marketing and on its packaging for the next five years.

The emblem is considered as a sign of quality and is known as “the highest accolade for business success”.

Debbie Bond, Lovehoney’s chief commercial officer, said: “We are thrilled to have received official recognition from the Queen.

“Her Majesty has been a wonderful supporter of Lovehoney as we have grown into being the world’s leading sexual wellness brand.

“Royal patronage will help us to create more jobs at our Bath headquarters and in our international offices and spread the sexual happiness message globally.

“The Queen is the UK’s greatest trade ambassador and royal approval shows again how mainstream shoppers and retail outlets are embracing sexual wellness products as never before and appreciating their importance in improving overall well-being – a particularly important message as we come out of lockdown after a stressful year living with the pandemic.”

It is the second royal acknowledgement the company has received since it was started. In 2016, Lovehoney was awarded the Queen’s Award for International Trade.

Winners of the award, including Lovehoney’s founders Richard Longhurst and Neal Slateford, were invited to a garden party at Buckingham Palace where they were joined by the Queen and her husband Prince Philip.

The brand was created by Longhurst from his bedroom and now has international sites in countries including Canada, Australia, France, New Zealand and Germany.