EDINBURGH MILITARY TATTOO

Patron:  HRH The Princess Royal

Norway's King's Guard set for another penguin promotion at Edinburgh Zoo

Honorary Colonel-in-Chief of His Majesty The King's Guard of Norway, Nils Olav, is about to be promoted again when the Royal Guardsmen - who are appearing at this month's Edinburgh Tattoo (until August 23) - parade this Friday, August 15th for a special ceremony at Edinburgh Zoo to confer their latest honour on the world's most decorated Penguin.

130 members of the Norwegian Guard will assemble that morning to honour king penguin Olav, but his new rank will remain a secret until 11am that day. The promotion of the honorary winged member of The Royal Norwegian Guard is once again shrouded in secrecy, believed to be known only by Norway's King Harald V and those closest to him.

It was on a visit to Edinburgh in 1962 that a young lieutenant called Nils Egelien first encountered the penguins at the Zoo. On a return visit ten years later he persuaded his regiment to sponsor a king penguin, which they duly adopted as their mascot, awarded the ‘rank' of Lance Corporal, and named Nils Olav (after Nils Egelien and Norway's then King Olav). On subsequent visits to the Scottish capital Olav was promoted to Corporal in 1982, Sergeant (1987), regimental Sergeant Major (1993), Honourable Regimental Sergeant Major (2001) and Honorary Colonel-in-Chief in 2005.

Major General Euan Loudon Chief Executive & Producer of the Edinburgh Tattoo said: "I am honoured to have been asked by the Norwegian Guard to perform the promotion ceremony for Nils. I understand he continues to carry out his duties as Honorary Colonel in an exemplary fashion and this latest award is clearly very much deserved."

Norwegian King's Guardsman, Captain Rune Wiik said: "We are extremely proud of Nils Olav and pleased that an enduring part of the Royal Guard is resident in Scotland helping to further strengthen ties between our two countries."