Penguin knight Sir Nils Olav inspects Norwegian troops, promoted to brigadier

Nils Olav the penguin inspects the Guard of Honour formed by His Majesty the King of Norway’s Guard on August 22, 2016 at Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland. His Majesty the King of Norway's Guard paid a very special visit to RZSS Edinburgh Zoo to bestow a unique honour upon resident king penguin Sir Nils Olav. Already a knight, the most famous king penguin in the world was given the new title of Brigadier Sir Nils Olav. Mark Owens/MOD/CROWN COPYRIGHT 2016/AFP

The Royal Norwegian Guard was inspected by a distinguished, pint-sized dignitary on Monday.

Sir Nils Olav is a king penguin who also happens to be the official mascot of the Norwegian army battalion that serves as the king's guard.

The tiny honorary Guardsman inspected the troops during their visit to his home in the Edinburgh Zoo. The knightly waddler was also promoted to Brigadier at the event.

It must be noted that the now-Brigadier Sir Nils Olav is not the first of his name. Norway had given the Edinburgh Zoo its first king penguin during the zoo's opening in 1913, so it became a custom for the Royal Norwegian Guard to pay a visit every time they were in the Scottish capital for the military display known as the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

The original Nils Olav was adopted by a lieutenant in the Guard named Nils Egelien in 1972 during one of the Guard's visits. The penguin was named after him and Norway's king at the time, Olav V.

Nils Olav became the Guard's mascot, and rose to the rank of sergeant before his death in 1987. 

The current Nils Olav is the third penguin to bear the name and hold the job, and has already surpassed his predecessors in the rankings. He was promoted from regimental sergeant major to Colonel-in-Chief in 2005 and then knighted in 2008.

Nils Olav receives his knighthood from the Nowegian King's Guard at the Edinburgh zoo, on August 15, 2008. AFP PHOTO/Ed Jones

Eight years ago, the king penguin became the first Norwegian Sir with wings after inspecting the Norwegian King's Guard, over for Edinburgh's annual Military Tattoo. AFP PHOTO/Ed Jones

During Nils Olav's knighting in 2008, a zoo official told the BBC that the penguin always recognizes the guardsman when they come to visit, and loves the attention he receives.

When the Royal Norwegian Guard visits, Sir Nils Olav wears his insignia tied to his right flipper. — BM, GMA News