In a recent episode of the Na Koa Exchange, host Jeff Hickman, State of Hawai‘i Department of Defense Public Affairs director, brought together three voices tied to the Hawaiʻi Royal Guard to discuss its origins, evolution and continuing role as a ceremonial and cultural institution.
The conversation featured Randy Lum, one of the earliest members of the Royal Guard (service began in 1961), Franklin Ho, a Royal Guard Guardsman (1980s–2010s), and Dr. Niklaus Schweitzer of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, whose research and historical involvement helped shape understanding of the Guard’s ceremonial role. He is also the former Executive Director of ʻIolani Palace and a good friend of the Royal Guard.
Across generations, the discussion revealed how the Royal Guard has become more than a ceremonial unit, it is a living expression of Hawaiian history, identity and continuity.
Lum shared how his path to the Guard began with a desire for service and opportunity, eventually leading him into a unit still in its earliest stages of formation.
He recalled how the idea of the Royal Guard, introduced under Col. Walter J. Judd, resonated deeply with early members.
“When Col. Judd spoke… he made you feel unique… like you’re somebody now,” said Lum.
That sense of purpose, he explained, became the foundation for a decades-long career in both the Hawaiʻi Air National Guard and the Royal Guard.
Schweitzer described how the modern structure of Royal Guard ceremonies at ʻIolani Palace was developed in the late 1980s, when public understanding of the Guard’s role was still evolving. The organization was so different from everything that people knew.
“Everybody was confused,” said Schweitzer. “Lots of people, lots of interest, but nobody knew what is really happening here. Who are they?”
Working alongside Friends of ʻIolani Palace and the Royal Hawaiian Band, Schweitzer helped establish ceremonial structure and protocol that clarified the Guard’s role during official events, particularly the annual Nov. 16 Royal Guard inspection.
Franklin Ho reflected on joining the Royal Guard at a young age and the unique responsibility that came with representing Hawaiian history in uniform. He emphasized that the Guard is not simply ceremonial, but a bridge between the public and the historical narrative of Hawaiʻi.
“When it comes to getting involved with Hawaiian history and the past, we’re the only embodiment of the palace that actually has a speaking part,” said Ho. “Many Guard members balance both military service and cultural stewardship.”
Today, the Royal Guard continues to participate in state ceremonies, inaugurations, parades, funerals and annual commemorations at ʻIolani Palace, maintaining a visible connection between Hawaiʻi’s past and present. Through service, ceremony and storytelling, the Royal Guard continues to preserve a unique chapter of Hawaiʻi’s history — one that is still being written today.
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