Norway’s 89-year-old King Harald, the oldest reigning monarch on the European continent, saw his health take a turn for the worse over the weekend while being treated at Oslo University Hospital.
The Norwegian Palace issued an urgent statement confirming: “His Majesty the King’s health deteriorated over the weekend. The King is receiving antibiotics for a bacterial infection in his blood, and has responded to this treatment.”
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The royal household added: “His condition is stable. His Majesty will remain at Oslo University Hospital (Rikshospitalet) and is on sick leave until further notice.”
Crown Prince Haakon has stepped in to fulfill his father’s duties during his absence. Members of the royal family, including the heir, have been seen visiting the hospital.
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The King had been admitted to the National Hospital in Oslo last week after being diagnosed with haemolytic anaemia, a rare condition in which red blood cells are broken down at an abnormally rapid rate.
The Palace confirmed he had “been treated with cortisone for the blood disease hemolytic anemia in recent weeks. This has led to fluid accumulation in the body that requires treatment in hospital.”
The disorder typically results in fatigue and breathlessness, and its precise origin is not always identifiable, though infections, autoimmune disorders and certain medications can all be contributing factors.
A planned royal visit to Trøndelag on September 1 and 2 has now been scrapped. Queen Sonja is expected to fulfil the engagement on her own.
The King’s health has been a source of recurring concern in recent years. In 2024, he underwent a procedure to have a pacemaker fitted, and earlier this year he required hospital treatment during a holiday on the Spanish island of Tenerife.
His medical history stretches back further still. In 2005, he was diagnosed with urinary bladder cancer, and in 2020 he underwent cardiac surgery.
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Crown Prince Haakon has assumed the role of regent on multiple occasions as a consequence of his father’s various ailments.
The King had initially been placed on a fortnight’s sick leave following his admission last week, though the palace has since indicated that his absence from duties will now continue indefinitely.
King Harald was born on February 21, 1937, at the Skaugum royal estate on the outskirts of Oslo.
At just six years of age, he fled to the United States with his family after Germany’s invasion of Norway in 1943, returning only once the war had concluded.
He ascended to the throne in January 1991 following the death of his father, King Olav.
His marriage to Queen Sonja in 1968 was considered controversial at the time. She does not have a background in royalty.
The couple are due to mark their 58th wedding anniversary this Saturday.
Together they have two children: Crown Prince Haakon and Princess Martha Louise, who no longer carries out official royal duties.
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