August 21st 2023.
This highly decorated penguin has received a guard of honour, and it's no ordinary penguin. Meet Sir Nils Olav III, the official mascot of the King's Guard of Norway, who lives at Penguins Rock in Edinburgh Zoo.
This special penguin has been a part of an incredible tradition that dates back to 1972. When Major Nils Egelien adopted the king penguin at the popular zoo, the bird was named after King Olav of Norway, who was on the throne at the time. Since then, it has become a tradition for the King's Guard Band and Drill Team of Norway to visit the penguin when they perform at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
This month, Sir Nils Olav was promoted to the rank of Major General for 'setting a superb example for the rest of the penguins.' He has actually worked his way up from mascot, becoming a Corporal in 1982; Sergeant in 1987; Regimental Sergeant Major in 1993; Honourable Regimental Sergeant Major in 2001, and Colonel-in-Chief in 2005. He even received a knighthood in 2008, and became a Brigadier in 2016.
The beloved penguin now has the title of Major General Sir Nils Olav III, Baron of the Bouvet Islands and official mascot of His Majesty the King's Guard of Norway – which was celebrated with a special military show. More than 160 uniformed guards attended the ceremony to award Sir Nils his new title at Penguins Rock.
Norwegian soldiers also send fish and Christmas cards to the penguin each year, and they always visit when they are in Edinburgh. Staff Sergeant Fredrik Gresseth, from the King's Guard Band and Drill Team of Norway, said, "The tradition of sending Nils Olav and his family fish, Christmas cards and visiting him during the unit's participation at the tattoo have been an important part of the battalion's history."
David Field, Chief Executive of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, said, "We are honoured to host his majesty the king's guard band and drill team of Norway once again as they return to Edinburgh Zoo to bestow this prestigious new title upon our king penguin, Sir Nils Olav."
Jason Barrett, Chief Operating Officer at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said, "His Majesty's Kings Guard of Norway bring a rich history, honour, and tradition to our cast and have been a fan favourite for years. Having acts like the Kings Guard showcases the cross-cultural component found within the tattoo. On behalf of the entire cast and crew, I am delighted to congratulate Sir Nils Olav III on his promotion to Major General."
Sir Nils Olav is an incredibly special penguin. He has received a guard of honour, and has been promoted up the ranks for setting a superb example for the rest of the penguins. Let's hope everybody's uniforms were up to standard for this special occasion!
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