Royle's pika was first described in 1839 as Lagomys roylei by Willam Ogilby, with the type locality being Choor Mountain in Himachal Pradesh.

[2] The subspecies O. r. himalayana, the Himalayan pika, was considered a distinct species for a brief period, but was reclassified as a subtaxon of O. roylei in 2014.

These species are mostly seen in the open rocky mountain edges or slopes, or on ground covered with conifer trees, such as pine, deodar and rhododendron forests.

Ochotona roylei typically lives a solitary life, and across its range has a low population density.

Human logging and agricultural development contribute to habitat loss, but these are not considered major threats to the species and its recovery from climate-related population declines.