Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince

Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince
Patch of the Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince
Active	December 8, 1817–
Country	Monaco
Branch	Force Publique
Type	Foot Guards, and Gendarmerie
Role	Close Protection
Size	One company, 119 personal
Garrison/HQ	Moneghetti
Motto(s)	"Honor, loyalty, devotion"
Engagements	French Revolutionary Wars, Monegasque Revolution, World War I, World War II, Tōhoku Disaster
Commanders
Commander in Chief	HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco
Senior Commander	Lt. Col. Luc Fringant
Corps Commander	Comdt. Philippe Rebaudengo
Insignia
Plume	Red over White

The Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince (Prince's Company of Carabiniers) is the Infantry division of the Force Publique, and one of the limited number of militaries that recruits foreigners. Although Monaco's defense is the responsibility of France, Monaco maintains a small force for the protection of the Sovereign and the Prince's Palace. Formed by Prince Honoré IV in 1817, the unit was reorganized in 1909. The company numbers 119 officers and men – while the NCOs and soldiers are local, the officers have generally served in the French Army or the Republican Guard. Along with the Corps des Sapeurs-Pompiers, the Carabiniers form Monaco's total public forces.

An antecedent of the Carabiniers was the company known in the 19th century as the "Papalins", former soldiers of the Papal States, who, upon the destitution of the Papacy's temporal authority at the time of the Italian Unification, were given the role of protecting the Sovereign and the Princely Family. A road in Fontvieille is named in honor of them.

In Monaco, the Milice Nationale was created in 1865. In 1870, the Milice Nationale was renamed the Gardes du Prince, although, the "Gardes" were still tasked with fire fighting, and national security. On May 5, 1881, the Gardes du Prince were renamed the Compagnie mixte de Sapeurs-Pompiers to better adjust to their fire fighting duties. On June 17, 1909, the fire fighting unit was reorganized into a separate operating company called the Compagnie de Sapeurs-Pompiers, while the protection unit was renamed the Corps des Carabiniers du Prince. This lasted over 60 years, until the companies were finally renamed the Corps des Sapeurs-Pompiers, and the Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince, and were placed under the Force Publique's direct control.