The Palace Guards
The creation of the Carabinieri Corps dates back to 8 December 1817
CREATION
Since its creation, it has never ceased to exist. The corps has been reorganised several times and on 26 January 1904, H.S.H. Prince Albert I signed an Order sanctioning the dissolution of the Company of Guards. The Sovereign Prince, satisfied with the services rendered by the "Carabinieri", entrusted them with the guarding of the Palace and His Family. The Order specified that "the service performed by the Company of Guards would henceforth be carried out by the Company of Carabinieri which would take the name of "COMPAGNIE DES CARABINIERS DU PRINCE".
DUTIES
Since its creation, the duties of the Prince's Carabinieri have been to guard the Palace, with the ceremonial changing of the guard every day at 11.55 a.m., to ensure the safety of His Serene Highness the Sovereign Prince and the Prince’s Family, to protect the integrity of His properties or residences and their immediate surroundings, to provide Him with ceremonial services, to ensure the execution of the laws and to take part in the maintenance of public order. At present, its strength is three officers, fifteen non-commissioned officers and eighty-eight men in the ranks.
The Prince's Company of Carabinieri provides ceremonial services in full dress in the Principality. Upon "requisition", it escorts the Judicial Corps. It takes part in official, civil and religious ceremonies and in the presentation of arms and parades.
THE ORCHESTRA
The Company of the Prince's Carabinieri has a military band consisting of twenty-five Carabinieri musicians under the direction of a Senior Warrant Officer. Since 2014, this formation has been called the "Orchestra of the Prince's Carabinieri". Although it is an integral part of the unit, the Orchestra is not a separate entity with the sole vocation of music. The Carabinieri who make up the orchestra take part in all the services assigned to the Company and receive the same training as their comrades. The richness and eclecticism of its repertoire enables it to perform at official ceremonies, sports events and public concerts. Since 1989, it has represented H.S.H. the Sovereign Prince abroad, notably in Saumur, Nimes, Albertville, Beziers, Lourdes, Lugano, Düsseldorf, Turin, Lisbon, Seville, Geneva, Hanover, etc...
UNIFORM AND EQUIPMENT
Other than in a few details, the parade dress uniform remains the same as that at the beginning of the last century, while the equipment and materials have been modernised to keep pace with new technology. Security has been reinforced with the installation of modern measures. The mobility of the men was increased by the provision of vehicles adapted to the different duties and, as far as weaponry is concerned, old rifles have ceded their place to modern weapons.
OTHER DUTIES
With the creation of the military first aid unit, the Prince's Carabinieri Company uses the ambulances of the Monegasque Red Cross. In this capacity, it participates in the safety of major sporting or artistic events held in the Principality, requiring rescue and evacuation resources. If necessary, it would participate in the implementation of emergency actions, the Red Plan or Ormose (Monegasque Emergency Organisation Plan).
The Prince's Company of Carabinieri has a team of scuba divers who are regularly called upon to be part of the security arrangements and to take part in various rescue missions during the numerous nautical competitions in Monegasque waters. These personnel also take part in scientific observations in the underwater environment for the study of pollution in the Mediterranean.
There is also a motorbike platoon, responsible for daily duties and for escorting H.S.H. the Sovereign Prince or Heads of State visiting the Principality.
Whilst not totally independent, the Prince's Company of Carabinieri does carry out various projects for its own benefit. It is essentially a matter of maintaining its equipment and running the Unit. This is why many different trades are represented among the Carabinieri: armourer, accountant, draughtsman, cabinetmaker, electrician, computer specialist, bricklayer, car mechanic, carpenter, painter, plumber, radio operator, secretary and many others...
The Company of the Prince's Carabinieri is the custodian of the old Standard of the Guards, to which it has sworn loyalty. Its motto is "HONOUR - LOYALTY – DEVOTION TO DUTY".
For more information, please consult the website of the Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince:
https://carabiniers.gouv.mc