The Royal Guard Company ( da, Vagtkompagniet) is the part of

Royal Life Guards The Life Guards (LG) is the senior regiment of the British Army and part of the Household Cavalry, along with the Blues and Royals. History The Life Guards grew from the four troops of Horse Guards (exclusively formed of gentlemen-troopers un ...

which serves as an active protection force for the Danish royal family. Of the 300 in the company, 280 are conscripts.

Organisation

There are 4 Guard teams, made of approximately 80 conscripts and 8 sergeants. The teams are arranged by height, with the tallest conscripts serving in 1st team and the shortest in 4th team.

Guard duties

The Royal Life Guards provide a permanent guard at the Amalienborg Palace, Kastellet (part of the old fortification of Copenhagen), Rosenborg Castle/garrison of the Royal Life Guards in Copenhagen and the garrison of Høvelte. On occasions guard is kept at Fredensborg Palace, Marselisborg Palace,

Gråsten Palace Gråsten Palace ( da, Gråsten Slot) is located at Gråsten in the Jutland region of southern Denmark. It is best known for being the summer residence of the Danish Royal Family. The main house has a modern, all-white facade, with Venetian do ...

Christiansborg Palace Christiansborg Palace ( da, Christiansborg Slot; ) is a palace and government building on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the seat of the Danish Parliament ('), the Danish Prime Minister's Office, and the Supreme ...

and other locations inside the Danish realm.

Drum Corps

One part of the Guard Company is the

Fife and drum corps A Fife and drum corps is a musical ensemble consisting of fifes and drums. In the United States of America, fife and drum corps specializing in colonial period impressions using fifes, rope tension snare drums, and (sometimes) rope tension bass ...

( da, Livgardens Tambourkorps), which consists of 8 drums and 8 fifes. It originally consisted of conscripts, however, after the Defence agreement 2005–09 which changed the conscription time for Life Guards from 12 to 8 months, there was not enough time to train the conscripts. The corps is therefore mostly enlisted.

Traditions

Uniform

The review order uniform of the Royal Life Guards, worn while they are on guard duty, consists of bearskin headdresses, dark blue tunics and light blue trousers with white stripes. The ceremonial uniform, worn on special state occasions, substitutes a scarlet tunic for the dark blue. The bearskin dates from 1803 and is decorated with the regiment's bronze

cap badge A cap badge, also known as head badge or hat badge, is a badge worn on uniform headgear and distinguishes the wearer's nationality and/or organisation. The wearing of cap badges is a convention commonly found among military and police forces, as w ...

(the Sun and Royal Coat of Arms). Symbolic infantry sabers are carried by the rank and file. These were part of the spoils from the First Schleswig War of 1848–1851 and were originally derived from a French infantry weapon.

Queen's Watch

The regiment holds a traditional military parade every November at their barracks known as the "Queen's Parade". Following the parade, the sovereign hands over the “Queen’s Watch” to one guard for his/her exceptional service in the regiment. It has been a tradition since 1970, when Frederik IX first handed over a watch at a parade. Two years later, the "King’s Watch” was redubbed as the "Queen’s Watch” following the assumption of the current Danish monarch to the throne. The guard is appointed by their superiors and fellow soldiers.

Image gallery

Valentin Serov - Alexander III in Danish Royal Life Guards Uniform.jpg, Alexander III in Danish Royal Life Guards Uniform, 1899 Royalguards copenhagen pazdziora cropped.JPG, Royal Guards on Queen Margrethe II's Birthday, 16 April 2009. Royal Danish Life Guard (2017) 02.jpg, Royal Guard at the Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen. Danish Royal Guard Present Arms.jpg, Danish Royal Guards presenting arms at the Changing of the Guard ceremony, Amalienborg.

References

External links

Official website
{{Military of Denmark Royal guards Military units and formations established in 1659 Guards of honour Danish monarchy