In brief
Norway’s 89‑year‑old King Harald V is in Oslo University Hospital receiving antibiotics after a bloodstream infection worsened last week. He has been on sick leave since early August and will remain absent from royal duties. Crown Prince Haakon, aged 53, is acting as regent. The king has previously dealt with haemolytic anaemia and a pacemaker insertion, underscoring the serious nature of his health issues.
Norway’s monarch has worsened health, palace officials said, as he remains in hospital recovering from a bacterial bloodstream infection.
The 89‑year‑old king is receiving antibiotics at Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, and is on leave from all royal duties until further notice. He was admitted a week ago, when his condition first deteriorated.
Crown Prince Haakon, 53, has stepped in as regent, carrying out the king’s official duties during the monarch’s absence.
Harald has already fought serious medical issues in recent weeks, receiving cortisone to treat haemolytic anaemia – a rare blood condition that reduces red‑blood‑cell count and leads to fatigue and shortness of breath. He also underwent pacemaker placement after a bout of illness in Malaysia and was sworn in to a permanent reduction of public engagements in April 2024.
The royal family’s year has been turbulent, with Crown Princess Mette‑Marit receiving a lung transplant in June after suffering pulmonary fibrosis, and the family’s son Marius Høiby facing jail time for rape conviction. The palace’s announcement underscores the fragile health of an ageing monarch navigating routine duties in a time of personal and national challenge.
