GUARDIA REAL MADRID T-Shirt

The Royal Guard (Guardia Real) is an independant unit of the Spanish Armed Forces dedicated to the military protection of H.M. the King of Spain and the members of the Spanish Royal Family. 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 training as regular soldiers. Some units have served recently in Afghanistan. The history of the Royal Guard dates back to Mediaeval times. The senior unit and one of the oldest body guards in Europe is the Corps of Gentlemen of the Chamber, the "Monteros de Espinosa", dating to 1006 and created by Sancho Garcia of the House of Castile. The present functions of the unit include the protection of the members of Spanish Royal Family, of the foreign Chiefs of State in visit to Spain and of the royal palaces like the Royal Palace of Madrid, the Palace of El Pardo, the Palacio de la Zarzuela and others.