Royal Life Guards (Denmark)

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You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Danish. (June 2023) Click [show] for important translation instructions. Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must follow the LLM translation guideline, revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Wikipedia. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing Danish Wikipedia article at [[:da:Den Kongelige Livgarde]]; see its history for attribution. You may also add the template {{Translated|da|Den Kongelige Livgarde}} to the talk page. For more guidance, see Wikipedia:Translation.

The Royal Life Guard
Den Kongelige Livgarde
Coat of arms
Active	30 June 1658 – present (368 years, 4 months)
Country	Denmark
Branch	Royal Danish Army
Type	Foot Guards
Role	1st Battalion – Mechanized infantry 2nd Battalion – Training Guards Company – Public Duties
Size	Three battalions & one company
Part of	Army Staff
Garrison/HQ	Høvelte Livgardens Kaserne
Nicknames	Livgarden, Garden
Mottos	Pro Rege et Grege (For King and People)
Engagements	Northern Wars Scanian War Great Northern War Royal Life Guards' Mutiny Napoleonic Wars First War of Schleswig Second War of Schleswig Operation Weserübung War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Post-invasion Iraq, 2003–2011 Operation Inherent Resolve Resolute Support Mission
Website	Official website
Commanders
Current commander	Colonel Mads Rahbek
Ceremonial chief	HM Queen Margrethe II of Denmark
Chief of the Guard Company	Major H. C. Rørvang
Notable commanders	Duke William of Württemberg Christian X of Denmark Alexander III of Russia
Insignia
Cap Badge of the Royal Danish Guard
Regimental belt
Colours

The Royal Life Guards (Danish: Den Kongelige Livgarde) is a mechanized infantry regiment of the Royal 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 (Danish: Livgarden til Hest), 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 (Danish: Den Kongelige Livgarde til Fods), in order to distinguish between the regiment and the Royal Horse Guards.

History

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding missing information. (October 2024)

The Royal Life Guards were established by Frederik III of Denmark on 30 June 1658, the guards were both to protect Frederik and to be a combat troop regiment.

Role

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding missing information. (October 2024)

The Royal Lifeguards serve as a front-line unit and as a protective guard ceremonial unit to the Danish monarchy. They are the security regiment for the Danish Royal family and their personal estates. They play a role in international peacekeeping due to Denmark's involvement with NATO. The regiment can be deployed internationally for peacekeeping efforts.

Organisation

The regiment consists of two infantry battalions, the Guard Company and the Musical Corps:

• 1st Battalion – Founded 1658. Mechanized Infantry Battalion, part of 1st Brigade. Plus Ultra (Even further)
  • Staff Company (STKMP/I/LG)
  • 1st Armored Infantry Company (Army's Flank company ) (1/I/LG)
  • 2nd Mechanized Infantry Company (2/I/LG)
  • 4th Mechanized Infantry Company (4/I/LG)(inactive)
• 2nd Battalion – Founded 1867. Mechanized Infantry Battalion, Vincere Volumus (We'll be victorious)
  • Staff Company (STKMP/II/LG)(inactive)
  • 1st Mechanized Infantry Company (1/II/LG)
  • 2nd Basic Training Company (2/II/LG)
  • 3rd Basic Training Company (3/II/LG)
• Royal Guard Company (Vagtkompagniet) - Founded 1659. Ceremonial/guard unit.
• Royal Life Guard Music Band (Den Kongelige Livgardes Musikkorps) - Founded 1658. Musical unit.

Disbanded units

• 3rd Battalion – Founded 1923, Disbanded 2018. Infantry (basic training) Battalion. (Mechanized Infantry Battalion 2000-2004)
• 4th Battalion – Founded 1961, Disbanded 2005. Infantry Battalion.
• 5th Battalion – Founded 2001, Disbanded 2005. Infantry Battalion. (Merged in from 3rd Btn/Danish Life Regiment, only as reserve)
• 6th Battalion – Founded 2001, Disbanded 2005. Infantry Battalion. (Merged in from 4th Btn/Danish Life Regiment, only as reserve)
• 7th Battalion – Founded 2001, Disbanded 2005. Infantry Battalion. (Merged in from 4th Btn/Zealand Life Regiment, only as reserve)

Names of the regiment

Alliances

•  United Kingdom – The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires) – Bond of Friendship
•  Germany – Bundeswehr

Image gallery

• 
  Life Guard in old combat uniform
• 
  Life Guard in combat uniform (m/01)
  staff company/1st battalion.
• 
  Soldier of 1st Company, 2nd Battalion during Combined Resolve III, Germany, 2014.
• 
  Sentries of the Life Guards at Amalienborg in 2016

See also

• Guard Hussar Regiment (Denmark)
  • Guard Hussar Regiment Mounted Squadron
• Royal Horse Guards (Denmark)

References

Further reading

• Brammer, G. (1908). Livgarden 1658-1908 (in Danish). Copenhagen: Vilhelm Trydes Forlag.
• Gram-Andersen, J. (1983). Den Kongelige Livgarde 325 år - perioden 1958-1983 (in Danish). Copenhagen: Nyt Nordisk Forlag Arnold Busck.
• Gram-Andersen, J. (1986). Livgardens Kaserne & Rosenborg Eksercerplads 200 år (in Danish). Copenhagen: Nyt Nordisk Forlag.
• Lövenskiold, C.L.v (1858). Efterretninger om Den Kongelige Livgarde til Fods (in Danish). Copenhagen: Det Thieleske Bogtrykkeri.
• Thaulow, Th. (1933). Livgarden 1908-1933 (in Danish). Copenhagen: H. Hagerups Forlag.
• Thaulow, Th.; Mentze, E.; Friis Møller, M., eds. (1958). Livgarden gennem 300 år (in Danish). Copenhagen: Martins Forlag.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Royal Life Guards in Denmark.

• Official Site
• Den Kongelige Livgardes Musikkorps