The royal guard cavalrymen are all gentlemen, hand picked to protect the person of the sovereign. Royal guards are elite, but they are also a court regiment where appearance is as important as fighting ability. As gentlemen they are hardly expected to associate with the common sort of soldier, and this does not make them popular or respected with the rest of the army. They are also often unloved by the general populace too, as they are the last line of defence for the royal family, and this may mean that they are sometimes required to turn their swords on their countrymen to put down domestic trouble.