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The Royal Guard Company | |
---|---|
Vagtkompagniet | |
Active | 1659 – present (365 years ago) |
Country | Kingdom of Denmark |
Branch | Royal Danish Army |
Type | Foot Guards |
Role | Public Duties |
Size | 300 (about 400 after 1st of December 2019) |
Part of | Royal Life Guards |
Garrison/HQ | Rosenborg Barracks |
Nickname(s) | Livgarden, Garden |
Motto(s) | Pro Rege et Grege (For King and people) |
Stable belt | |
Website | Official website |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Major H. C. Rørvang |
Ceremonial chief | HM King Frederik X |
The Royal Guard Company (Danish : Vagtkompagniet) is part of Royal Life Guards which serves as an active protection force for the Danish royal family. Of the 300 in the company, 280 are conscripts.
There are 4 Guard teams 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. [1]
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, Christiansborg Palace and other locations inside the Danish Realm.
One part of the Guard Company is the Fife and drum corps (Danish : 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.
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. [2] The bearskin dates from 1803 and is decorated with the regiment's bronze cap badge (the Sun and Royal Coat of Arms). [3] 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.
The regiment holds a traditional military parade every November at their barracks known as the "King's Parade". Following the parade, the sovereign hands over the “King’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. The "King’s Watch” was known as the "Queen’s Watch” from 1972-2024 during the reign of Margrethe II and became known once again as the King's Watch after the accession of Frederik X in 2024. The guard is appointed by their superiors and fellow soldiers. [4]
Margrethe II is a member of the Danish royal family who reigned as Queen of Denmark from 14 January 1972 until her abdication on 14 January 2024. Having reigned for exactly 52 years, she was the second-longest reigning Danish monarch after Christian IV. She is also the world's most recent female reigning monarch.
Frederik IX was King of Denmark from 1947 to 1972.
Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg is a member of the Danish royal family. She is the second daughter and child of King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid of Denmark. She is the younger sister of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, and therefore the aunt of Margrethe's son, the current King of Denmark, Frederik X. She is also an older sister of Queen Anne-Marie of Greece.
Mary is Queen of Denmark as the wife of King Frederik X.
In some militaries, foot guards are senior infantry regiments. Foot guards are commonly responsible for guarding royal families or other state leaders, and they also often perform ceremonial duties accordingly, but at the same time are combat soldiers.
A bearskin is a tall fur cap derived from mitre caps worn by grenadier units in the 17th and 18th centuries. Initially worn by only grenadiers, bearskins were later used by several other military units in the 19th century. The bearskin cap continued to see use in battle during the mid-19th century, although by the 20th century, it was only used for parade dress. In the 21st century, the bearskin cap is retained by select military units as a prominent element of their ceremonial and full dress uniforms.
The Royal Life Guards is a mechanized infantry regiment of the Danish Army, founded in 1658 by King Frederik III. The primary task is to provide a number of soldiers from the Guard Company to serve as a guard/ceremonial unit to the Danish monarchy, while training the Royal Guards for various functions in the mobilisation force. Until its disbandment, the Royal Horse Guards, served the role as the mounted guard/ceremonial unit, afterwards the role was taken over by Guard Hussar Regiment Mounted Squadron. During the time period 1684–1867, the Royal Life Guards were called The Royal Foot Guard, in order to distinguish between the regiment and the Royal Horse Guards.
The Life Guards is a combined Swedish Army cavalry/infantry regiment. Its responsibilities include the defence of Stockholm as well as provision of the royal guard of honour for the King of Sweden and the Stockholm Palace. With traditions dating from 1521, the regiment is one of the oldest military units in continuous operational existence in the world. It was established in its present form in July 2000, following a merger of the Svea Life Guards and the Life Guard Dragoons. Headquarters are mainly located in Brunna north of Kungsängen in Upplands-Bro Municipality and at the "Cavalry Barracks 1" in central Stockholm.
Amalienborg is the official residence for the Danish royal family and is located in Copenhagen. Frederick VIII's palace complex has four identical Classical façades, effectively four palaces, with Rococo interiors, laid around an octagonal courtyard. At the centre is a large equestrian statue of Frederick V. Amalienborg was originally built for four noble families, but after Christiansborg Palace burned in 1794 the royal family bought the palaces and moved in. Over the years various monarchs and their families have lived there, including today's King Frederik X and Queen Mary.
Busby is the English name for the Hungarian prémes csákó or kucsma, a military head-dress made of fur, originally worn by Hungarian hussars. In its original Hungarian form the busby was a cylindrical fur cap, having a bag of coloured cloth hanging from the top. This bag could be filled with sand and the end attached to the right shoulder as a defence against sabre cuts.
Public duties are performed by military personnel, and usually have a ceremonial or historic significance rather than an overtly operational role.
The Cuirassiers Regiment is a Carabinieri cavalry regiment acting as guard of honour of the President of the Italian Republic. Their motto is Virtus in periculis firmior.
A pelisse was originally a short fur-trimmed jacket which hussar light-cavalry soldiers from the 17th century onwards usually wore hanging loose over the left shoulder, ostensibly to prevent sword cuts. The name also came to refer to a fashionable style of woman's coat-like garment worn in the early-19th century.
The Yellow Palace, or Bergum's Mansion, is an 18th-century town mansion situated at Amaliegade 18, next to Amalienborg Palace, in the Frederiksstaden district of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is considered the first example of Neoclassical architecture in Copenhagen.
The Guard Hussar Regiment Mounted Squadron, is part of the Guard Hussar Regiment. The purpose of the squadron is to provide mounted escorts for the royal family and carry ceremonial services for the Royal Danish Army. The squadron commands 75 horses, 18 officers and NCOs, and 75-100 conscripts. In addition it has a saddler, music-teacher, veterinarian, remount service and a farrier.
Conscription in Denmark is mandatory for all physically fit men over the age of 18, according to the Constitution of Denmark, §81 and the Danish Law of Conscription, §2. The service lasts between 4 and 12 months. Women may participate, but are not obligated to conscription. Under the Danish Realm and protected by the Danish Defence, men from Greenland and the Faroe Islands are not required to serve as conscripts.
The Uniforms of the Royal Danish Army distinguish soldiers from other service members. Royal Danish Army uniforms were originally influenced by French, Prussian and Russian military traditions. However, in more recent times, its uniforms have been characterized as being influenced by British uniforms, and, more significantly, American uniforms.
The Royal Life Guards Music Band is the foremost military band in the Danish Defence and the official regimental band of the Danish Royal Life Guards. The DKLM is based in Copenhagen and primarily participates in parades and ceremonies for the Danish monarch and the Danish royal family. It also supports the government and the military, specifically increasing the esprit de corps in army units as well as in the public.
The Golden Jubilee of Margrethe II was celebrated in 2022 in the Kingdom of Denmark, being the 50th anniversary of the accession of Queen Margrethe II on 14 January 1972.