▁armed ▁forces , ▁or ▁are ▁designated ▁as ▁such , ▁and ▁may ▁maintain ▁special ▁rights ▁or ▁privileges . ▁ ▁Institution ▁and ▁tasks ▁ ▁Royal ▁gu ards ▁have ▁histor ically ▁compr ised ▁both ▁purely ▁cer emon ial ▁units ▁serving ▁in ▁close ▁proxim ity ▁to ▁the ▁monarch , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁reg iments ▁from ▁all ▁arms , ▁forming ▁a ▁designated ▁substantial ▁el ite ▁and ▁intended ▁for ▁active ▁service ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁army . ▁An ▁example ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁category ▁would ▁include ▁the ▁Trop as ▁de ▁la ▁Casa ▁Real ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁mon archy ▁prior ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 0 , ▁compr ising ▁hal ber der os ▁and ▁a ▁mounted ▁esc ort . ▁Ex amples ▁of ▁the ▁second ▁would ▁include ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Gu ards ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁and ▁German ▁Emp ires ▁prior ▁to ▁ 1 9 1 7 - 1 8 . ▁ ▁Mon arch s ▁frequently ▁mode led ▁their ▁royal ▁gu ards ▁upon ▁those ▁of ▁fellow ▁r ul ers . ▁Thus , ▁Napoleon ▁I ' s ▁Gar de ▁Imper iale ▁was ▁im itated ▁by ▁his ▁oppon ent ▁Alexander ▁I ▁of ▁Russia , ▁his ▁Bour bon ▁successor ▁Louis ▁XVIII ▁and ▁his ▁nep hew ▁Napoleon ▁III . ▁The ▁modern ▁Gard er eg iment ▁Gren ad iers ▁en ▁J agers ▁regiment ▁of ▁the ▁Netherlands ▁and ▁the ▁Esc orte ▁Roy ale ▁of ▁Belg ium ▁retain ▁features ▁of ▁uniform ▁and ▁other ▁dist in ctions ▁that ▁can ▁be ▁trac ed ▁back ▁to ▁Napole onic ▁influ ences . ▁ ▁Political ▁importance ▁Because ▁of ▁their ▁location , ▁status , ▁role ▁and ▁nature