King Harald V Hospitalised in Serious Condition
King Harald V of Norway is in an “extremely serious” condition in hospital, according to the Norwegian royal household, prompting members of the royal family to gather at his bedside.
The 89-year-old monarch is being treated at Oslo University Hospital, where he has spent more than a week receiving care for haemolytic anaemia, a rare blood disorder that can reduce the number of red blood cells and cause symptoms including tiredness and shortness of breath.
Queen Sonja and Crown Prince Haakon have cancelled their scheduled royal engagements as they remain with the king alongside other members of the family.
Crown Prince Haakon Serving as Regent
Crown Prince Haakon, 53, is next in line to the Norwegian throne and has been carrying out the duties of regent while his father is on leave.
The king has been receiving cortisone treatment for haemolytic anaemia in recent weeks. Members of the royal family, including Crown Princess Mette-Marit, were seen arriving at the hospital on Thursday morning.
Norwegian media also reported that King Harald’s sister, Princess Astrid, was at the hospital.
King Harald has been Norway’s monarch since 1991 and is currently Europe’s oldest serving head of state.
Norwegian Prime Minister Cancels Germany Trip King Harald V
The king’s condition has also prompted Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre to cancel a planned visit to Germany, where he had been due to meet Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday.
“The whole nation is with us as we send warm thoughts to the king and the rest of the royal family,” Støre said in a statement.
Members of the public have also begun leaving flowers in Palace Square outside the royal palace in Oslo as concern grows over the monarch’s health.
King Has Faced Several Health Problems
King Harald has experienced a number of health difficulties in recent years, leading him to reduce his official duties.
In 2024, he was fitted with a pacemaker after becoming ill while on holiday in Malaysia. He has also previously required hospital treatment for other health problems.
The latest development comes during a difficult year for the Norwegian royal family, which has faced several major health and legal controversies.
Health and Legal Challenges for Royal Family King Harald V
Crown Princess Mette-Marit underwent a lung transplant in June after being diagnosed with a rare form of pulmonary fibrosis in 2018.
Her transplant took place two days after her son, Marius Borg Høiby, was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of two counts of rape. Høiby, who has denied the most serious allegations, is appealing the sentence.
The 29-year-old is not a member of the Norwegian royal family. He was four years old when his mother married Crown Prince Haakon.
Earlier this year, documents also emerged detailing Mette-Marit’s repeated contact with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
She subsequently apologised to King Harald and Queen Sonja over her three-year friendship with Epstein, describing her conduct as “poor judgement”. In a national television interview, she also said she wished she had never met Epstein.
