The Royal Guard ( es, Guardia Real) is an independent

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...

of the

Spanish Armed Forces The Spanish Armed Forces are in charge of guaranteeing the sovereignty and independence of the Kingdom of Spain, defending its territorial integrity and the constitutional order, according to the functions entrusted to them by the Constitution o ...

that is dedicated to the protection of the

King of Spain , coatofarms = File:Coat_of_Arms_of_Spanish_Monarch.svg , coatofarms_article = Coat of arms of the King of Spain , image = Felipe_VI_in_2020_(cropped).jpg , incumbent = Felipe VI , incumbentsince = 19 Ju ...

and members of the

Spanish Royal Family The Spanish royal family consists of King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, their children (Leonor, Princess of Asturias and Infanta Sofía of Spain), and Felipe's parents, King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía. The royal family lives at Zarzuela Palace ...

. It currently has a strength of 1,500 troops. While the guard does participate in parades and other ceremonial events, it is a fully functional combat unit. Its members are recruited from the ranks of all three branches of the Spanish Armed Forces and receive the same combat training as regular soldiers. The guard contains a diverse mix of units: a

Royal Marines The Corps of Royal Marines (RM), also known as the Royal Marines Commandos, are the UK's special operations capable commando force, amphibious warfare, amphibious light infantry and also one of the :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, five fighti ...

company from the Navy, a paratroop company from the Air and Space Force and an infantry company from the Army, among others. Some units served in recent times in Afghanistan and Bosnia.

History

The history of the Royal Guard dates back to

medieval times In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

. The senior unit and one of the oldest body guards in the world is the Corps of Gentlemen of the Chamber, the ''

Monteros de Espinosa The Monteros de Espinosa are the oldest Bodyguard unit of Royal Guards in Europe. Founded by the Counts of Castile around the year 1006 and kept in service by the Castilian Sovereigns and posterior Dynasties that inherited their Kingdoms and unit ...

'', dating to 1006 and created by Sancho Garcia of the House of Castile. Even before the time of the first monarch of Spain, the

Catholic Monarchs The Catholic Monarchs were Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon, whose marriage and joint rule marked the ''de facto'' unification of Spain. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being bot ...

formed the group called the ''Guardias Viejas de Castilla'' ("Old Guards of Castile"). Later on, the first monarch of Spain,

Charles V Charles V may refer to: * Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558) * Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain * Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise * Charles V, Duke of Lorraine (1643–1690) * Infa ...

ordered that a company of those guards to reside and continuously stand guard in his palace, denominating it ''Los Cien Continos'' ("The Continuous Hundred").

Official formation

Later on, Charles V's father, Philip the Handsome arrived in Spain in 1502 brought with him his ''Guardia Borgoñona'' ("

Burgundian Guard Burgundian can refer to any of the following: *Someone or something from Burgundy. *Burgundians, an East Germanic tribe, who first appear in history in South East Europe. Later Burgundians colonised the area of Gaul that is now known as Burgundy (F ...

s"). They were also called the ''Guardia de los Archeros'' (aka ''Guardia de Cuchilla'' > "Guards of the Blade") because they were armed with a

glaive A glaive (or glave) is a European polearm, consisting of a single-edged blade on the end of a pole. It is similar to the Japanese naginata, the Chinese guandao, the Korean woldo, and the Russian sovnya. Overview Typically, the blade is arou ...

-type polearm called an ''archa'', not because they were archers (''arqueros''). Their purpose was to secure the royal household by standing guard or patrolling the grounds on horseback. These group of Royal Guards with their Burgundian style, together with two units of ''alabarderos'' ("halberdiers"), will remain in service until the reorganization of the "Troops of the Royal Household" (''Tropas de Casa Real'') by Philip V. During his reign, the royal guards were organized into: * Headquarters * Royal Guards Halberdiers * Royal Carabinier Guards * Musketeers of the Royal Guards * Guards de Corps (organized as a squadron) * Two Guards infantry regiments (Walloon Guards and Guards of Spain) In the 19th century the guards were reinforced by the

Spanish Marine Infantry The Spanish Naval Infantry ( es, Infantería de Marina) is the naval infantry unit of the Spanish Navy () responsible for conducting amphibious warfare by utilizing naval platforms and resources. The Marine Corps is fully integrated into the A ...

, which formed its own unit. In 1824-25 the Guard was expanded into a full independent army group reporting to the sovereign and the Royal Military Household with two full corps following the example of France's Napoleonic Imperial Guard and Borbon Restorationist Royal Guards: * Internal Royal Guards Corps ** Halberdiers Cuadro al óleo por Víctor Morelli

** Guards of the Royal Household *** Guards de Corps *** Infantry units * External Royal Guards Corps ** 1st Guards Infantry Division *** 1st and 2nd Guards Infantry Brigades, organized into two to three regiments of infantry ** 1st Guards Cavalry Division *** 1st and 2nd Guards Cavalry Brigades ** Royal Horse Artillery Battery ** Train Company ** Royal Guard Company of Sappers and Miners * 2nd Guards Infantry Division (Provincial) ** Royal Guard Grenadiers Brigade ** Royal Guards Rifle Brigade In the 1840s only the internal units of the Royal Guards remained as the others were disbanded or transferred to the regular Army. In 1868 the Halberdiers stood down, only to be reformed under King Amadeo I as the Royal Guard Battalion of one infantry company and one cavalry troop and revived as a full battalion under his successor Alfonso XII.

Civil War

The guards were disbanded in 1931 as a result of the formation of the 2nd Republic and was replaced by the "Presidential Horse Guards Squadron" (''Escuadrón de Escolta Presidencial''), which was a cavalry formation. By 1936, it included the infantry "Presidential Guards Battalion" (''batallón de Guardia Presidencial''), which remained loyal to the Republic during the

civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...

Restoration

Under

Francisco Franco Francisco Franco Bahamonde (; 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish general who led the Nationalist forces in overthrowing the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War and thereafter ruled over Spain from 193 ...

, By Decree of February 4, 1949, the Military House of the Generalissimo was reorganized and on the basis of the republican formations the "Regiment of the Guards of His Excellency the Head of State" (''Regimiento de la Guardia de Su Excelencia el Jefe del Estado''), later on the "Guards Regiment of HE the Generalissimo" (''Regimiento de la Guardia de S.E. el Generalísimo''), was activated, which included a mounted squadron (the ''

Guardia Mora The Guardia Mora (Moorish Guard), officially the ''Guardia de Su Excelencia el Generalísimo'' (En: The Guards of His Excellency the Generalissmo) was Francisco Franco's personal ceremonial escort. It was formed in February 1937 from personnel dr ...

'') which was first raised from surplus personnel of the

Regulares The Fuerzas Regulares Indígenas (" Indigenous Regular Forces"), known simply as the Regulares (Regulars), are volunteer infantry units of the Spanish Army, largely recruited in the cities of Ceuta and Melilla. Consisting of indigenous infantr ...

. After several reorganizations, the unit would last until Franco's death as a combined arms guard regiment. Upon Franco’s death & the ascension of King Juan Carlos as the head of state and commander in chief of the armed forces, the guard regiment was integrated into the new army under the king & formed the basis of what is now the modern day Guardia Real - the "Royal Guards Regiment" (''Regimento de la Guardia Real''), which is responsible to the king thru the Ministry of Defense. In the 1980s it grew into a three-battalion regiment. Today it is a four battalion unit that serves as the protocol and security service of the Spanish Royal Family.

Role

El rey Juan Carlos I en la Pascua Militar de 2009

The primary function of the Royal guard is to provide military security for the Monarchy. In addition to protecting members of Spanish Royal Family, the present functions of the unit include the protection of foreign heads of state visiting

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

, and of royal palaces such as the

Royal Palace of Madrid The Royal Palace of Madrid ( es, Palacio Real de Madrid) is the official residence of the Spanish royal family at the city of Madrid, although now used only for state ceremonies. The palace has of floor space and contains 3,418 rooms. It is the ...

(''Palacio Real''), the Palace of El Pardo and the Palace of Zarzuela. The regiment is an active combat unit and has been deployed to

Bosnia Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and Pars pro toto#Geography, often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of Southern Europe, south and southeast Euro ...

and

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is borde ...

. The guard regularly takes part in military exercises organized in conjunction with all three of the main branches of Spains military. It is involved in the guard mounting ceremony (Cambio de la Guardia) at the Royal Palace on the first Wednesday of every month from 12 midday to 2pm (save for July, August and September).
It is present at military parades in the national capital of

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...

on official holidays including ''

Fiesta Nacional de España The National Day of Spain ( es, Fiesta Nacional de España, help=nolink=no) is a national holiday held annually on October 12. It is also traditionally and commonly referred to as the Día de la Hispanidad ( Hispanicity, Spanishness Day), c ...

'' and ''Día de la Constitución''. Annually, it has a troop review during the '' Pascua Militar'' ceremony on 6 January.

Organization

Flag emblem for the Marine company of the Spanish Royal Guard

* Commander of the Royal Guard (Colonel) * General Staff ** Personnel Logistics (1st SEM) ** Institutional Affairs (2nd SEM) ** Security and Intelligence, Preparation and Employment (3rd SEM) ** Material and Infrastructure Logistics (4th SEM) ** Economic Affairs Section (SAE) ** Occupational Risk Prevention Service (SPRL) ** Legal Advisor (ASEJU) ** Office of the Sergeant Major of the Royal Guard (SBMY) ** Religious Service (SRELG) ** Secretary * Group HQ ** HQ Company ** Security Company *** 1st Security platoon *** 2nd Security platoon *** 3rd Security platoon *** 4th Security platoon ** Communications Company ** Formation Company *** 1st platoon *** 2nd platoon *** 3rd platoon *** 4th platoon * Escorts Group ** Group HQ ** Military Control Company *** Perimeter Control Section *** Interior Control Section *** Bomb Detection/Attack Dog Section *** Motorcycle Section ** ''Alabarderos'' (Halberdiers) Company *** 1st Immediate Security Section *** 2nd Immediate Security Section *** ''Alabarderos'' Section ** Royal Escort Squadron *** Mounted Band of Timpani and Bugles *** Mounted Marker Squad ***

Cuirassier Cuirassiers (; ) were cavalry equipped with a cuirass, sword, and pistols. Cuirassiers first appeared in mid-to-late 16th century Europe as a result of armoured cavalry, such as men-at-arms and demi-lancers, discarding their lances and adop ...

s Troop *** 1st

Lancer A lancer was a type of cavalryman who fought with a lance. Lances were used for mounted warfare in Assyria as early as and subsequently by Persia, India, Egypt, China, Greece, and Rome. The weapon was widely used throughout Eurasia during the ...

s Troop *** 2nd

s Troop ** Royal Horse Artillery Battery ** Equestrian Training Unit * Honors Group ** Group HQ ** Army Company "

" *** 1st Platoon *** 2nd Platoon *** 3rd Platoon *** Drill Team Platoon ** Navy and Marine Composite Company "Mar Océano" *** 1st Platoon *** 2nd Platoon *** 3rd Platoon *** 4th platoon ** Air and Space Force Squadron "Plus Ultra" *** 1st Flight *** 2nd Flight *** 3rd Flight *** 4th Flight ** Mountaineering Group ** Diving Unit ** Sniper Unit * Logistics Group ** Group HQ ** Administration Company ** Maintenance Company ** Transportation Company ** Logistics Directorates ** Medical Unit * Musical Unit of the Armed Forces Royal Guard ** Musical Unit HQ and High Command ** Military Band of the Royal Guard of Spain **

Corps of Drums A Corps of Drums, also sometimes known as a Fife and Drum Corps, Fifes and Drums or simply Drums is a unit of several national armies. Drummers were originally established in European armies to act as signallers. The major historical distin ...

of the Royal Guard (Drums and

bugle The bugle is one of the simplest brass instruments, normally having no valves or other pitch-altering devices. All pitch control is done by varying the player's embouchure. History The bugle developed from early musical or communication ...

s) **

Fife Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross ...

Section and Pipe band ** Brass band of the Royal Guard ** Royal Guard

Big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s ...

** Royal Guard Chamber Ensembles

List of commanders

Ranks

;Enlisted

References

External links

Official website of the Royal Guard
(in Spanish) {{FFAA España Guard, Spanish Royal Spanish Army Royal guards Guards regiments Spanish monarchy Spanish ceremonial units Military units and formations established in 1504 Military units and formations disestablished in 1931 Military units and formations established in 1949