By Decree of 3 March 2026, the President of the Royal Commission for Italy of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, H.E. Don Flavio Borghese, Prince of Sulmona and Montecompatri, Bailiff Knight Grand Cross of Justice, established the Guard of Honour at the Royal Tombs of the Bourbon Sovereigns, located in the Royal Chapel of Saint Thomas, dedicated to the Royal House of the Two Sicilies, within the Royal Basilica of Saint Clare in Naples.
This initiative follows a centuries-old tradition of respect and devotion toward the Sovereigns and Princes of the former Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, and seeks to preserve and perpetuate—also through visible and solemn forms of presence—the historical and spiritual memory linked to the Bourbon Royal House.
The Guard of Honour has exclusively commemorative and representative purposes. Its principal task is to manifest respect at the Royal Tombs and to ensure their decorum during liturgical celebrations, commemorations, and authorized ceremonies.
The institution is Catholic, apolitical, and non-partisan, entirely unrelated to any political or electoral purposes and without profit motives. It operates at all times in full respect for the dignity of sacred places and in accordance with the directives of the competent ecclesiastical authority.
The Guard of Honour is incorporated within the Delegation of Naples and Campania of the Constantinian Order and placed under the command of the Delegate pro tempore, who is responsible for its direction, coordination, and discipline according to the provisions set forth in the regulations adopted by the same decree.
Through this initiative, the Royal Commission for Italy of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George seeks to strengthen the bond between the Order, the history of the Royal House of the Two Sicilies, and the City of Naples, while promoting moments of historical remembrance, spirituality, and witness to the chivalric and Christian values that characterize the Constantinian Order.
Summary of the Regulations of the Guard of Honour
The regulations establish that the Guard of Honour at the Royal Tombs of the Bourbon Sovereigns is composed primarily of Knights and Dames of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, operating under the jurisdiction of the Delegation of Naples and Campania and the Delegate pro tempore.
Postulants of the Order and other volunteers who share the same ideals may also participate, subject to authorization.
The Guard of Honour ensures the presence and vigil at the Tombs of the Bourbon Sovereigns during the liturgical celebrations and commemorations scheduled at the Royal Basilica of Saint Clare.
The service provides for the presence of two members on guard at the entrance of the Chapel of Saint Thomas, with the possibility of rotation every thirty minutes, while other participants take their places in the front pews of the basilica.
Members wear the cloak of the Order, white gloves, and around the neck the badge of the Guard of Honour, consisting of a gilded metal emblem suspended from a red cord.
The calendar of principal commemorations includes anniversaries connected with the Bourbon Sovereigns, as well as other significant events in the history of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
The regulations also govern the procedures for participation in celebrations, the internal organization of the Guard, the appointment of responsible officers, and the conduct expected of members, reaffirming the exclusively historical, religious, and commemorative character of the institution.
