Norway’s King Harald V was admitted to hospital and placed on a two-week sick leave, the country’s royal household announced on Monday. The 89-year-old monarch was hospitalized due to fluid retention that requires medical treatment. During this period, his son, 53-year-old Crown Prince Haakon, will serve as regent and assume his father’s royal duties.
The King has recently been undergoing treatment with cortisone for haemolytic anaemia, a rare blood condition. This condition causes a reduction in red blood cells, which can result in fatigue and shortness of breath. The palace previously announced in April 2024 that the King would make a permanent reduction to his public engagements due to his age.
King Harald V has faced several health issues in recent years. In 2024, he was fitted with a pacemaker after falling ill during a holiday in Malaysia and was later hospitalized in Tenerife for an infection and dehydration. Queen Sonja was also hospitalized in May of this year for observation regarding heart problems. These medical developments follow recent legal and public challenges for the royal family, including the four-year prison sentence of Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit, for rape.
The scale of this event is reflected in the King's long tenure; having ascended the throne in January 1991, he is one of Europe’s longest-serving monarchs. His health directly impacts the stability of the Norwegian monarchy, an institution that has recently faced public scrutiny. For the average Norwegian citizen, the primary change is the visibility of the Crown Prince in official capacities rather than the King. The reliance on a regent has become more frequent as the King has navigated multiple hospitalizations for infections, dehydration, and heart procedures over the last two years.
The knock-on effects concern the long-term future of the Norwegian throne. Although King Harald has publicly ruled out abdication, his recurring health issues and the "permanent reduction" of his duties announced in 2024 suggest a gradual transition toward Crown Prince Haakon’s eventual reign. The royal family is also navigating the reputational impact of the four-year prison sentence handed to Marius Borg Høiby in June and Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s public statements regarding her past acquaintance with Jeffrey Epstein. The King's current treatment for fluid retention and haemolytic anaemia is scheduled to continue through his two-week leave, after which his status is expected to be updated by the palace.
What happens next: Crown Prince Haakon will remain regent for the duration of the two-week sick leave announced on Monday. The palace has not specified a date for King Harald’s discharge from the hospital or a definitive return to his reduced schedule. Updates regarding his recovery from fluid retention and the management of his blood condition are expected from the royal household as the two-week period concludes.