A royal guard (also called a palace guard) is a group of military bodyguards, soldiers, or armed retainers responsible for the protection of a royal family member, such as a king or queen, or prince or princess. They often are an elite unit of the regular armed forces, or are designated as such, and may maintain special rights or privileges.
Contents
Institution and tasks
Royal guards have historically comprised both purely ceremonial units serving in close proximity to the monarch, as well as regiments from all arms, forming a designated substantial elite and intended for active service as part of the army. An example of the first category would include the Tropas de la Casa Real of the Spanish monarchy prior to 1930, comprising halberderos and a mounted escort. Examples of the second would include the Imperial Guards of the Russian and German Empires prior to 1917–18.
Monarchs frequently modelled their royal guards upon those of fellow rulers. Thus, Napoleon I's Garde Imperiale was imitated by his opponent Alexander I of Russia, his Bourbon successor Louis XVIII, and his nephew Napoleon III. The modern Garderegiment Grenadiers en Jagers regiment of the Netherlands and the Escorte Royale of Belgium retain features of uniform and other distinctions that can be traced back to Napoleonic influences.
Political importance
Because of their location, status, role and nature, royal guards have frequently been able to play a political role beyond their intended military and social ones. In times of revolution, the continued loyalty or defection of such units has often played a key part in the outcome of wider unrest. Historical examples were England in 1688, Spain in 1808, Sweden in 1809, France in 1789 and again in 1814-15, Russia in 1917 and Persia in 1906 and again in 1953.
List of royal guards
Past
Mesedi, in the Hittite Empire
Medjay, since the old kingdom of Egypt until the Ptolemaic dynasty
Somatophylakes, in the ancient Kingdom of Macedonia
Royal Palace Guards, in Burma
Pengawal Diraja, in Brunei
Hangu Beykalun, the Royal Bodyguards of Maldivian Sultan, the unit was formed by Muhammad Thakurufaanu al-Auzam (1573–1585), decommissioned in early 1930s, at the end of the reign Sultan Muhammad Shamsuddeen III
Royal Foreign Units Guards, King's Royal Guards such as the Scottish Guard, Swiss Guards such as the Hundred Swiss, Guards of the French Royal Army, which served the European monarchies such as the Kingdom of France (the Ancien Régime), part of the Maison militaire du roi de France.
Monaspa, in the Kingdom of Georgia
Tobang, in the Goryeo dynasty of Korea
Naegeumwi, in the Joseon dynasty of Korea
Athapattuva, in the Kingdom of Kandy
Monteros de Espinosa, in the Kingdom & Crown of Castille, now part of the Guardia Real of Spain
Walloon Guards, in Spain; recruited from the Spanish Netherlands
Spanish Guards (Gardes Espagnoles), an infantry regiment brigaded with the Walloon Guards but recruited within Spain itself.
Maison militaire du roi de France (to which belonged the Garde du Corps, the Swiss Guards, and the French Guards), in the Kingdom of France
Present
Royal Guard, in Bahrain
Royal Escort, in Belgium
Gurkha Reserve Unit, in Brunei
Ceremonial Guard, in Canada
Den Kongelige Livgarde and Guard Hussar Regiment Mounted Squadron, in Denmark
Royal Guards of Hawaii, a ceremonial guard unit of the Hawaii Air National Guard
Royal Guard, in Jordan
Royal Johor Military Force, in Malaysia
Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince, in Monaco
Royal Guard, in Morocco
Grenadiers' and Rifles Guard Regiment, Garderegiment Fuseliers Prinses Irene and the Royal Marechaussee in the Netherlands
Hans Majestet Kongens Garde, in Norway
Royal Guard, in Oman
Royal Guard Regiment, in Saudi Arabia
Guardia Real, in Spain
Livgardet and Livregementets husarer, in Sweden
King's Guard and the Royal Security Command, in Thailand
Tongan Royal Guards part of His Majesty's Armed Forces of Tonga
King's Guard; Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms; High Constables and Guard of Honour of the Palace of Holyroodhouse; Royal Company of Archers; and Yeomen of the Guard, in the United Kingdom
Similar units
Foot guards
Household Division
Imperial guard
Lifeguard
Presidential guard
Related units
Colour guard
Guard of honour
Sovereign's Bodyguard