Ever seen a penguin getting a military promotion? The Edinburgh Zoo’s resident penguin was awarded the prestigious title during a special ceremony at the zoo with 50 of Norway’s guardsmen in attendance.

A resident king penguin, Sir Nils Olav, is an honorary member of the king of Norway’s guard and inspects the soldiers when they visit the Scottish capital. One of a colony and knighted in 2008, the penguin has now been given the new title of Brig Sir Nils Olav.

The tradition of promoting a penguin is symbolic of the friendly relations between Scotland and Norway. The role of Nils Olav has actually been held by three separate penguins over the years, as king penguins only live about 15 years in the wild and slightly longer in captivity.

During the ceremony, Sir Nils paraded along the zoo’s penguin walk, while inspecting the soldiers of the guard. At this rate, Sir Nils may end up being an admiral within a couple more decades.

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