Photo: Edinburgh Zoo
Norwegian King Harald the Fifth has just knighted ... a penguin! That's right, a penguin named Nils Olav, the honorary member and mascot of the King's Guard since 1972, is not Sir Nils Olav to you:
Penguin Nils Olav has been an honorary member and mascot of the Norwegian King's Guard since 1972.
Over the years, he has been promoted through the ranks after being adopted by Royal Guard who visited the zoo.
During the ceremony, Nils had a sword dubbed on each side of his head, where his shoulders should be, to confirm his regimental knighthood.
A crowd of several hundred people joined the 130 guardsmen at the zoo. A citation from King Harald the Fifth of Norway was read out, which described Nils as a penguin "in every way qualified to receive the honour and dignity of knighthood".
What's even more intriguing is that the original
Nils Olav died in 1980 - the penguin knighted today was his replacement: Link - via On Deadline
Previously: Norwegian Army Promotes Penguin
OMG UNIFORM SUX. CHK MAI TUX LOLZ.
"The proud penguin was on his best behaviour throughout most of the ceremony, but shortly before the ritual was concluded and possibly suffering a bout of nerves he was seen to deposit a discreet white puddle on the ground. "