Norway's King Harald V is in a “very serious” condition after his health worsened while in hospital, the royal court has announced. The 89-year-old monarch was admitted on 17 August to receive treatment for a bacterial infection in his blood. Following the update on Thursday, Crown Prince Haakon and Harald's wife, Queen Sonja, have both cancelled all planned events, the palace said in a statement.
Members of the royal family, including the crown prince and the queen, were seen arriving at Oslo University Hospital where the king is receiving care, Norwegian media reported. Harald has served as Norway's ceremonial head of state since 1991 and is Europe's oldest living monarch. In 2024, the king announced he would scale back his official engagements out of consideration for his age, but ruled out abdication, saying his oath was for life.
Harald was on sick leave for several weeks before being admitted to the country’s National Hospital, and has been receiving antibiotics for his blood infection. Crown Prince Haakon has been serving as regent while his father is in hospital. The palace earlier said that his sickness was triggered by cortisone treatment for his haemolytic anaemia, which led to fluid accumulation in the body.
According to the NHS, haemolytic anaemia is a rare blood condition sees the red blood cells destroyed faster than the bone marrow can replace them. It can either be passed down genetically or acquired later in life. Common symptoms include extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, fast heartbeat or palpitations, pale skin, jaundice, and dark urine.
Harald has been in and out of the hospital several times in recent years. In February, he was admitted to a hospital in Spain’s Canary Islands during a winter vacation. He was treated for a skin infection at the time.
Two years ago, the king fell ill during a private vacation with the queen in Malaysia and received a temporary pacemaker there. He then returned aboard a medical airplane to Norway, where he was fitted with a permanent pacemaker. Haakon has acted as regent numerous times over the years while his father received medical treatment.
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