Norway's King's Guard Knights a Penguin.

The Norwegian King's Guard had a colonel-in-chief living in Scotland. He was a penguin.

On Friday, 15 August 2008, Norwegian guardsmen assembled at Edinburgh Zoo for a military ceremony.

The guest of honour was Nils Olav.

He stood about 80 centimetres tall.

He was wearing his normal black-and-white uniform.

He was also a king penguin.

The relationship between Edinburgh's penguins and Norway had developed over decades. In 1972, a penguin at the zoo was adopted as the mascot of His Majesty the King of Norway's Guard and named Nils Olav.

Nils Olav is a ceremonial identity inherited by successive king penguins—not one biologically immortal officer progressing through every rank since 1972.

The identity became a corporal, then a sergeant, then regimental sergeant major. Further promotions followed.

By 2005, Nils Olav held the honorary position of colonel-in-chief.

Apparently there was still room for advancement.

During the Guard's 2008 visit to Edinburgh, Nils Olav inspected the assembled soldiers.

Then, with approval from Norway's King Harald V, he received a knighthood. A royal message was read.

The ceremony was playful, but the tradition itself was genuine. The Norwegian King's Guard regards Nils Olav as its official mascot, and the relationship between the regiment and zoo has continued long after the 2008 ceremony.

So have the promotions.

Nils Olav became a brigadier in 2016. In 2023, Major General Sir Nils Olav III received another promotion.

But the 2008 knighthood requires no embellishment.

On a Friday morning in Edinburgh, Norwegian soldiers formally assembled before a penguin.

The penguin inspected them.

Then Norway's King's Guard knighted him.