The uniforms in perfect magazine condition, the brushed horses, the dazzling body of the Rolls Royce Phantom and the security of carrying out a job for which they have been preparing for a month and a half. Tomorrow the Royal Guard faces one of the main tasks that it has regulated in Royal Decree 434/1988 that establishes its functions. Starting this Tuesday afternoon, when Gustavo Petro arrives in Spain on a state visit, the 1,908 soldiers who make up the Royal Guard will honor and give solemn escort to the President of Colombia, with similar services to those they provide to Felipe VI. It will be four days of work, “a high point” in the year of the body born to be at the service of the King.
This is recognized by Captain Salcedo, who for a month and a half has been working so that the escort for the state visit of Gustavo Petro goes perfectly. While the objectives of the photographers settle on the meeting between the first ladies and the chronicles collect curiosities such as the menu of the State dinner, 600 men of the Royal Guard are mobilized so that the Headquarters of State offer its best image.
An hour before Gustavo Petro’s arrival at the State Pavilion at the Barajas airport, the work of the Royal Guard begins. On the one hand, the technical entourage is mobilized, who is in charge of all the president’s movements since he arrives in Madrid. Organized by a commander with the support of two captains, his staff includes drivers, radio operators and motorcycle section personnel. “The first thing the head of state finds when leaving Barajas is the VIP car”, a Royal Guard vehicle with which the visitor will carry out all his movements. It is normally one of the four Rolls Royce Phantoms that entered service with Franco in 1952 and that are kept in the historic room of the Royal Guard.
«The routes are directed by the commander of the Royal Guard with the support of the National Police, who is the one who has the task of carrying out the security of the Head of State in Spain, supported by the introducer of ambassadors, the ambassador of Colombia… a series of people who go inside the caravan ». The movements have to be coordinated with the Civil Guard and Municipal Police, so that there are no setbacks.
While the security entourage is activated in Barajas, in the El Pardo Palace, the residence that National Heritage gives to the heads of State and their entourage, there is also movement. «Before he arrives, the Royal Guard is setting up the device in El Pardo. We organized both the Guard of Honor -soldiers in period costume- and the security guard -dressed as military police-, who are in charge of access to the palace». Both the security entourage and that of Pardo will be on duty until the head of state leaves Spain. Along with them, a doctor, two nurses and two sanitary technicians, all from the force, also stand guard and are the entourage.
Wednesday will be the high point of the visit. 600 members of the Royal Guard – made up of officers, non-commissioned officers and troops – are part of the State reception at the Royal Palace. First thing in the morning, the squadron of horse escorts leaves their stables for the Plaza de Oriente, as well as a group on foot and the motorcycle section, which wait until the technical entourage arrives at the Royal Palace. At that moment, the VIP car goes ahead and is surrounded by the escort squad to the Plaza de la Armería, where the Kings receive them. At that moment the units of the Royal Guard are formed in the square and the honors begin: «Interpretation of the national anthems and salutes by an honor section of a Royal Guard battery, which are honor howitzers. Then they review and there is a military parade of all the force, ”says Salcedo, who on Thursday, when he attended EL MUNDO, had carried out the first general rehearsal of the most colorful moment of the visit.
For three weeks the different units have been carrying out isolated tests. On Thursday and Friday were the general rehearsals, in which protocol personnel from the Casa del Rey, the Military Room and a delegation from Colombia also participated. «It has gone very well. Except for the horses, which is the only thing that we cannot control, it has been phenomenal, “said Salcedo then, while his phone did not stop ringing.
Once the reception is over, the staff will leave and only the squad of honors will remain in the Plaza de la Armería, which will escort the VIP car to the corner of Calle Bailén and Calle Mayor, “where they will take over again with the motorcycle section and the rest of the caravan. It is the day with the most work for the entourage, since the president visits the City Hall and the Congress. The morning will end with lunch at the Palacio de la Zarzuela.
The Royal Guard has an independent caravan commanded by another captain in case the first lady has any need or tourist interest. For everything to go well, the commander and the two captains have spent several weeks trying to close all the movements of the Colombians. “We try to have as little improvisation as possible.”
It will be five days of work, which does not end until the Colombian head of state’s plane takes off back. Until then, nobody relaxes in the Royal Guard, a body that was born with the vocation of serving the King with loyalty, sacrifice and discretion.
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