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The royal penguin is a medium-sized species of penguin, and one of six species of crested penguin (distinguished by their eponymous yellow crests). They are almost wholly endemic to Macquarie Island and its neighboring Bishop and Clark islets, located halfway between New Zealand and Antarctica. Adults are typically 26–30 in (65-76 cm) in length, and weigh 6.6–17.6 lb (3-8 kg).

It is very closely related to the macaroni penguin, to the point where some authorities do not consider them to be separate species; however, they have different distributions and only rarely interbreed. Between 1870 and 1919, they (along with the king penguins that also live on the island) were hunted for oil; though this practice has long since ceased and the island itself is now a World Heritage Site, their numbers have only since climbed to 850,000 pairs compared to the three million penguins of both species that were estimated to have once lived on the island. They are currently classified as Near Threatened, due to their key populations being restricted to a very small area.

Kemono Friends' Royal Penguin was first revealed on the franchise's official website, before appearing in Season 1 as part of PPP's most chronologically recent (and perhaps most recognizable) incarnation. Her other major appearances were in Season 2, the Stage Play, and in chapter 5 of KF3's main storyline. Described by Margay as the 'pillar of the group', Royal Penguin acts as a motivator and bandleader, quick to point out mistakes while tempering it with motivation and a firm belief that being an idol should be fun.