The Belgian monarchs have been accompanied by a mounted escort on state occasions since Belgium's independence in 1830. Until 1914 these were provided by detachments drawn from either the "Marie-Henriette" squadron of the Civic Guard of Brussels or from the Guides Regiments of the regular cavalry of the Belgian Army, based in Brussels. After World War I the disbandment of the Civic Guard led to a suggestion that a separate mounted ceremonial unit be established but the proposal was left in abeyance until the Belgian cavalry was mechanized in 1938. Accordingly, in that year a permanent Royal Escort was created as part of the Gendarmerie. The full dress uniform of bearskin, black tunic and white breeches then adopted, and still worn, had been that of the mounted gendarmerie prior to 1914.