Norway: King Harald has been admitted to hospital

The Royal Court in Oslo announced today that King Harald has been admitted to Rikshospitalet (The National Hospital) following a medical examination.

The press release says that the king in recent weeks has been treated with cortisone for the blood disorder hemolytic anemia, and that this has resulted in fluid retention requiring hospital treatment.

The King will be on sick leave for two weeks, and the crown prince will as usual serve as regent during this period. The court will soon provide further information regarding the impact on the royal house's official schedule.

Norway: King Harald discharged from hospital, continues vacation

The Norwegian Royal Court announced last Thursday, 26 February 2026, that King Harald had been discharged from hospital. He had responded well to the treatment he had reeceived after being hospitalized for an infection and dehydration.

The court followed up with an update on Monday 2 March, informing that the king's health had continued to improve and that he would continue his private stay at Tenerife.

Crown Prince Haakon will in the meantime serve as Regent. As far as I remember, the king originally had duties today, but the list of official engagements was changed. The Crown Prince Regent will preside over the Council of State on Friday 6 March, but is in the list referred to as Crown Prince only on 9 March 2026, which would mean, if nothing is changed in the meantime, that the king is expected to return to Norway during the coming weekend.

Norway: King Harald back at work, but the number of engagements will be reduced

King Harald today resumed his duties after his long absence due to having fallen ill during his vacation in Malaysia in late February. Upon his return to Norway on 3 March he was admitted to the National Hospital and had an permanent pacemaker implanted on 12 March. He was discharged from hospital two days later, but has been on sick leave until today in order to rest and recuperate. In the meantime his son Crown Prince Haakon has acted as Regent.

Today the king granted audiences to The Chief of Defence, General Eirik Kristoffersen, Brigadier Terje Bruøygard, Head of Brigade Nord (the Northern Brigade) as well as to Rear Admiral Bjørn-Erik Marthinsen, second in command of the the Defence Staff. The king will grant more audiences on Thursday 25 April and preside over the Council of State at the Royal Palace on Friday 26 April. 

The Norwegian Royal Court announced today the king was going to continue his constitutional duties, including conducting meetings and audiences at the Palace and making official visits in Norway. However, due to his age the number of engagements and scope of activities will from now on be scaled down.

The news doesn't come as a surprise due to his age and health situation, and the number of engagements have been reduced in later years as well, as for instance fellow historian Trond Norén Isaksen has pointed out, but obviously now the changes become more permanent. 

Norway: King Harald on sick leave for two more weeks

The Norwegian Royal Court announced on Thursday 4 April 2024 that King Harald, who was scheduled to return to his duties next week after having been on sick leave since late February, will be on sick leave for two more weeks. This blog article might be a bit outdated as it has already gone 3 days since the announcement, but I have been on vacation in Tanzania the last two weeks, and as I have written about the king's health developments previously, I thought I should include the latest announcement as well, at least for the record:

His Majesty The King on sick leave for two more weeks

His Majesty The King is undergoing rehabilitation following his hospitalisation earlier this winter and still needs more time before returning to his constitutional duties. Therefore, His Majesty will be on sick leave for two more weeks until Monday 22 April.

During this period, His Royal Highness The Crown Prince will act as regent.

His Majesty's official engagements will largely be taken care of by members of the Royal Family:

• His Royal Highness The Crown Prince Regent, Her Majesty The Queen and Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess host a reception at the Royal Palace for recipients of the King’s Medal of Merit on 9 April.
• Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess attends the presentation of Nasjonalforeningen for folkehelsen's research awards 2024 on 15 April.
• Her Majesty The Queen visits 'Drive' in Melhus, as well as Skaun municipality on 16 April.

Crown Prince Haakon's planned official visit to the West Coast of the US will proceed as scheduled from 15 to 19 April. The Norwegian Government will, in accordance with the Constitution of the Kingdom of Norway, conduct the administration of the realm during this week.

04.04.2024

The Constitution of Norway Article 41 says that "If the King is absent from the realm unless commanding in the field, or if he is so ill that he cannot attend to the Government, the person next entitled to succeed to the throne shall, provided that he has attained the age stipulated for the King's majority, conduct the Government as the temporary executor of the Royal Powers. If this is not the case, the Council of State will conduct the administration of the realm."

The king and the crown prince take their constitutional responsibilites very seriously, so it is not often that the government (the Council of State) act as regent, at least they usually make sure that one of them is home to preside over the Council of State on Fridays. The Crown Prince is scheduled to visit San Francisco and Seattle from 15 to 18 April. I don't know the details of the visit yet, so it is too early to say if the crown prince will manage to return to Norway early enough on Friday 19 April to preside over the Council of State. If not, the Council of State will take place at the Prime Minister's Office on Thursday 18 April instead.*

Earlier articles on the King's hospitalisation in Malaysia and at the National Hospital, Norway:

• 27.02.2024: Norway: King Harald hospitalized in Malaysia
• 28.02.2024: Norway: Update on King Harald's health situation
• 29.02.2024: Norway: A new update on King Harald's health situation
• 02.03.2024: Norway: Update on King Harald's health situation – temporary pacemaker implanted
• 03.03.2024: Norway: King Harald on his way home
• 04.03.2024: Norway: King Harald is back in Norway
• 06.03.2024: Norway: Update on King Harald's health situation (6 March 2024)
• 12.03.2024: Norway: Update on King Harald's health situation – permanent pacemaker implanted
• 14.03.2024: Norway: King Harald discharged from the National Hospital

* Correction: I was almost correct. The Royal Court has now updated the list of official engagements, and it shows that the Council of State will indeed take place at the Prime Minister's Office, but not on Thursday 18 April 2024 as I expected, but on Friday 19 April 2024 at 11 a.m.

Updated last time on Monday 8 April 2024 at 3 p.m. (corrected added).

Norway: King Harald on his way home

Just after 5 a.m. today the Norwegian Royal Court issued a statement informing that King Harald was going home today.

Medical transportation of His Majesty The King

His Majesty The King will soon be on his way to Langkawi Airport for medical transportation. Her Majesty The Queen will accompany His Majesty.

Upon arrival in Norway, His Majesty will be admitted to the hospital Rikshospitalet.

His Majesty will be on sick leave for two weeks. During this period, His Royal Highness The Crown Prince will act as regent and assume His Majesty The King's constitutional duties.

03.03.2024

According to VG.no the king left the hospital in an ambulance at 05:25 Norwegian time (12:25 in Langkawi, Malaysia). The medical plane took off just after 6 a.m. (1 p.m.) and will make a short stop in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates before landing at Oslo Airport Gardermoen around midnight Norwegian time. The king will then be transported to the National Hospital, a department of Oslo University Hospital. The king will be on sick leave for two weeks, meaning that he will return to his duties on Monday 18 March if his health allows it. In the meantime Crown Prince Haakon will continue to serve as regent.

Earlier articles on the King's hospitalisation in Malaysia:

• 27.02.2024: Norway: King Harald hospitalized in Malaysia
• 28.02.2024: Norway: Update on King Harald's health situation
• 29.02.2024: Norway: A new update on King Harald's health situation
• 02.03.2024: Norway: Update on King Harald's health situation – temporary pacemaker implanted

Norway: Update on King Harald's health situation

Following the news yesterday that King Harald had been admitted to hospital during his vacation in Malaysia, the Norwegian Royal Court issued a new statement today:

Update on His Majesty King Harald´s health situation

His Majesty The King's personal physician is in Langkawi and confirms that the King is improving from his infection. His Majesty is well taken care of at the hospital and is receiving good treatment.

His Majesty will remain at the hospital for a few more days. No decision has been made regarding his return home. The Norwegian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur has offered practical assistance during the visit.

The official program for the rest of the Royal Family continues as planned.

The king's personal physician is Bjørn Bendz, b. 1964, who took over the position after Otto Smiseth in 2020. Bendz is a professor in medicine and in charge of the Heart, Lung and Vascular Clinic at Rikshospitalet (the National Hospital), which is a part of Oslo University Hospital.

The king is on vacation in Langkawi in Malaysia together with Queen Sonja. As the press statement says, no decision has been made regarding the king's return home, but as I mentioned yesterday the official program says that the Crown Prince will serve as Regent for another week and that the king has planned to preside over the Council of State on Friday 8 March. We just have to wait and see if changes to the program of official engagements will be made. 

Crown Prince Haakon said to the press today that he had talked with his parents, that his impression was that the king's health situation had improved and that he was in good hands. 

King Harald celebrated his 87th birthday last week, so it is natural that necessary precautions are taken when he has fallen ill. Some people has criticized the king for traveling, but even though he has had periods of sick leave in the last few years I don't think he would have traveled if his health had been at risk. He could easily have fallen ill while in Norway as well.

Norway: King Harald hospitalized in Malaysia

The Norwegian Royal Court informed today that King Harald of Norway has fallen ill during his vacation in Malaysia and has been admitted to a local hospital to be treated for an infection. The king is receiving good care by both Malaysian and Norwegian medical staff. 

The Norwegian newspaper VG.no, whose source is the Malaysian newspaper Astrowani.com, writes that the hospital in question is Hospital Sultanah Malihai in Langkawi.

It is not known how long the vacation was meant to last, but according to the official program the king is expected to be back for duty on 8 March 2024 when he is to preside over the Council of State. In the meantime Crown Prince Haakon will continue to serve as Regent. According to the program the Crown Prince is referred to as Regent on 6 March, but not the day after, which could be interpreted as saying that the King is expected to return some time on 6 March 2024.

Norway: King Harald back in business

King Harald was last week on sick leave due to a respiratory infection. He had intended to attend Landskytterstevnet Innendørs, the Norwegian indoors rifle championship at Stjørdal yesterday, but had to cancel. Originally the sick leave was to end after Friday 2 February. During his sick leave, Crown Prince Haakon took over his father's duties as regent.

Tonight the king was back in business as he attended a meeting in Oslo Militære Samfund («Oslo Military Society»), where the Norwegian defence minister Bjørn Arild Gram held a speech on the current status and challenges in the defence sector.

Norway: Statement by King Harald on the occasion of the shooting tragedy in central Oslo

Following the shootings outside Per på Hjørnet and London Pub in central Oslo last night, where two people were killed and 21 people were injured, King Harald of Norway issued the following statement:

Skytetragedien i Oslo sentrum

Uttalelse fra Hans Majestet Kong Harald i anledning skytetragedien i Oslo sentrum.

25.06.2022

Familien min og jeg er forferdet over nattens skytetragedie i Oslo sentrum, der to mennesker ble drept og mange skadet. Vi føler med alle pårørende og berørte og sender varme tanker til alle som nå er redde, urolige og i sorg.

Vi må stå sammen om å forsvare verdiene våre: Frihet, mangfold og respekt for hverandre. Vi må fortsette å stå opp for at alle mennesker skal føle seg trygge.

Nå må vi ta godt vare på hverandre.

Harald R

In English:

The shooting tragedy in central Oslo

Statement from His Majesty King Harald on the occasion of the shooting tragedy in central Oslo.

25.06.2022

My family and I are horrified by the night's shooting tragedy in central Oslo, where two people were killed and many injured. We sympathize with all the relatives and affected and send warm thoughts to all who are now scared, restless and in grief.

We must stand together to defend our values: Freedom, diversity and respect for each other. We must continue to stand up for all people to feel safe.

Now we have to take good care of each other.

Harald R

On Saturday early afternoon the Crown Prince couple and Prince Sverre Magnus together with among other Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and the governing mayor (city government leader) of Oslo Raymond Johansen visited the scene of the shootings and laid down flowers outside London Pub.

The Crown Prince couple will attend the mourning service in Oslo Cathedral on Sunday 26 June.

The London Pub in central Oslo is a popular place in the gay community. The perpetrator has been charged with murder, attempted murder and carrying out a terrorist act. While the motive is yet to be known, the prosecutor has stated that "There is reason to believe this [terrorist act] involves hate crime [directed against gay people]" in addition to psychiatric issues. On advice by the police today's Pride parade and other Pride events were cancelled.

Postscript Monday 27 June 2022 at 22.55: The Royal Court revealed on Sunday morning that the Crown Prince had tested positive for Covid, which meantg that the Crown Princess attended the mourning service alone.

Updated last time on Monday 27 June 2022 at 22.55 (postscript added).

Norway: The King and Queen cancel attendance at Prince Philip's memorial service

The Norwegian Royal Court announced yesterday that King Harald and Queen Sonja are not going to attend the Service of Thanksgiving for Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburg at Westminster Abbey, London on Tueday 29 March 2022 after all. King Harald, who tested positive for Covid-19 last Tuesday, has extended his sick leave until Thursday 31 March.

Unfortunately this means that the Norwegian Royal House will not be represented at the memorial service, even though the Crown Prince couple has no scheduled engagements for 29 March.

Norway: King Harald has tested positive for Covid-19

The Norwegian Royal Court informed today that King Harald has tested positive for Covid-19. According to the court the king is experiencing mild symptoms and will be on sick leave for the next few days. This means that the Crown Prince once again has assumed the role as Regent during the king's illness. The Crown Prince Regent will according to the list of official engagements preside over the Council of State at the Royal Palace on Friday 25 March.

At the time of writing the king is expected to resume his duties on Monday 28 March and will then also attend the Service of Thanksgiving for Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey, London together with Queen Sonja on Tuesday 29 March, but of course the plans could be changed if the king doesn't feel well enough early next week.

Updated on Saturday 26 March 2022 at 18.55 (typo corrected).

Norway: King Harald breaks off his vacation

The Royal Court has informed the newspaper Dagbladet that King Harald and Queen Sonja have decided to break off their vacation abroad and return home to Norway earlier than planned. The reason for their decision is the war in Ukraine.

The list of official engagements has already been updated and states that the King will grant the prime minister an audience on Friday morning 4 March 2022 and will also preside over the Council of State at 11 a.m. The Criown Prince will be attending both events. Originally Crown Prince Haakon was meant to serve as Regent for the whole week during the King's absence.

Norway: Crown Prince Haakon back in business

As reported 2 days ago Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit returned home from their vacation abroad a bit earlier than planned on Friday 25 February so that the Crown Prince could take up the role as Regent. No ordinary Council of State was planned for Friday –in week 8 there is a winter break in Oslo and some other counties and it is seldom that a Council of State takes place that week – but I speculated that an extraordinary meeting was going to take place in order to decide on sanctions on the Russian Federation following their invasion of Ukraine. No such Council of State has taken place yet. Next council is scheduled for Friday 4 March.

It could very well be, as for instance fellow historian Oscar Aanmoen has suggested, that the Crown Prince returned home earlier  to «take care of the royal house's duties in the event of an escalation». Following the Crown Prince's return, the program of official engagements was changed and today the Crown Prince Regent granted Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre an audience at 9.30 a.m. I am sure that the war in Ukraine was the main topic during the conversation.

Crown Prince Haakon will as planned serve as Regent the whole of next week due to the king's stay abroad.  

Norwegian Crown Prince couple returns to Norway earlier than planned due to the war in Ukraine

VG (NRK) reports that the Crown Prince and Crown Prince of Norway have decided to break off their vacation and return home due to Russia's attack on Ukraine so that the Crown Prince can take up the role as Regent.

The Crown Prince couple will arrive in Norway on Friday. Prior to the decision to return home, the Crown Prince as Regent had several engagements planned for Monday 28 February and Thursday 3 March and is going to preside over the Council of State on Friday 4 March. Due to the winter break no Council of State was going to take place this Friday (25 February), but this might change if Norway is going to decide on economic sanctions against Russia. Alternatively an extraordinary Council of State could take place early next week. Time will show.

The whole royal family has been on vacation abroad this week in order to celebrate King Harald's 85th birthday. No details have been given, but I suspect that the Crown Prince family originally had planned to return home on Sunday. The king and queen will stay abroad for yet another week.

According to the Constitution of Norway article 41, when both the King and «the person next entitled to succeed to the throne», i,e, the Crown Prince, are abroad or incapacitated due to illness, «the Council of State [i.e. the Government] will conduct the administration of the realm». This is why the Norwegian state flag has been flying from the roof of the Royal Palace this week. In other words, some time tomorrow the Crown Prince flag will be hoisted at the Palace.

Norway: Princess Ingrid Alexandra has tested positive for corona

The Norwegian Royal Court announced today that Princess Ingrid Alexandra, daughter of Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has tested positive for corona and is isolated at home at the Skaugum estate in Asker. The other members of the family have also been tested, but fortunately with negative results.

Crown Prince Haakon has cancelled his planned visit to UngInvest in Modum on Monday, and the Crown Prince couple have postponed the event on Wednesday at Skaugum where the 20th anniversary of the Crown Prince Couple's Fund was to be marked. The Crown Prince has also called off his presence at the disembarkation of the royal yacht Norge on Monday, which means that the king will act alone with the presence of Queen Sonja.

Norway: King Harald resumes his constitutional duties

The Norwegian Royal Court announced today that King Harald will resume his constitutional duties on Monday 12 April 2021 following the expiration of his sick leave.

The king was operated for a torn tendon above his knee on 30 January 2021 and has been on sick leave ever since. Crown Prince Haakon has served as Regent in the meantime.

King Harald's sick leave extended once again

The Norwegian Royal Court announced on Friday 12 March 2021 that King Harald of Norway's sick leave, which was meant to expire on Monday 15 March, has been extended until 11 April 2021. When King Harald was operated for a torn tendon above his knee on 30 January, the public was informed that the king was expected to return to duty on 15 February, but on 12 Febryary we were told that the sick leave had been extended to 15 March. King Harald is making progress and will continue his training and receiving physiotherapy.

In the meantime Crown Prince Haakon will continue to serve as regent.

Norway: King Harald's sick leave extended

The Norwegian Royal Court announced today that King Harald's sick leave has been extended to 14 March 2021. The king was expexted to resume his duties on Monday 15 February, but his medical team has recommended further rehabilitation before he gets back to work. The king was operated for a torn tendon above his knee on 30 January.

King Harald is currently staying at the Royal Lodge at Voksenkollen where he will continue to receive physiotherapy. Crown Prince Haakon will in other words remain Regent until 14 March 2021. 

Norway: King Harald admitted to hospital

The Norwegian Royal Court announced on Thursday 28 January that King Harald was put on sick leave for the remaining days of the week due to pain in his leg. This meant that Crown Prince Haakon had to take over his father's duties and thus presided over the Council of State at the Royal Palace on Friday at 11 a.m.

The court followed up later on Friday 29 January by informing that the king was admitted to the National Hospital (Rikshospitalet) in order to have surgery in the morning of Saturday 30 January. The king was operated for a torn tendon above his knee. The operation has been described as successful.

The king is expected to return from his sick leave on Monday 15 February 2021.

King Harald is doing well after operation

Last Thursday the Royal Palace explained the reason for King Harald of Norway's problems with heavy breathing, which lead to a stay at Rikshospitalet (The National Hospital, which is a division of Oslo University Hospital) from Friday 25 September to Monday 28 September. The press statement said:

His Majesty The King to undergo surgery to replace a heart valve

His Majesty The King is being admitted to Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, to undergo surgery to replace a heart valve. The surgery is scheduled to take place on Friday, 9 October. 

In 2005, the King underwent open heart valve surgery. At that time, the aortic valve was replaced with an artificial biological heart valve. Artificial biological heart valves have a lifespan of 10 to 15 years, and therefore it is not uncommon that the intervention must be repeated after some time.

The intervention this time will not be open heart surgery. The King will be awake and the procedure will be carried out under local anaesthesia via the groin.

The procedure will be carried out by the medical team led by the King’s physician, Bjørn Bendz, Head of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet. 

“His Majesty The King has had regular check-ups, and the tests we have been carrying out indicate that this procedure is necessary to improve the King’s breathing. This type of procedure is performed hundreds of times each year at Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, and the Norwegian surgeons are extremely experienced,” says the King’s physician, Bjørn Bendz.

Crown Prince Haakon will continue to serve as Regent during the king's extgended sick leave.

After the operation on Friday 9 October, the Royal Palace issued the following statement:

His Majesty The King’s surgery was successful 

His Majesty The King underwent a heart valve replacement at Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, today. The operation was a success and the King is in good condition.

The King was awake during the procedure, which was carried out under local anaesthesia via the groin.

The medical team involved was led by the King’s physician, Bjørn Bendz, and included section heads Lars Aaberge and Christian Eek of the Department of Cardiology at Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet.

Background

In 2005, His Majesty The King underwent heart valve surgery. At that time, the aortic valve was replaced with an artificial biological heart valve. Artificial biological heart valves have a lifespan of 10 to 15 years, and therefore it is not uncommon that the intervention must be repeated after some time.

Recent tests carried out on the King indicated that it was necessary to replace the artificial biological heart valve from 2005 with a new one to improve the King’s breathing.

The Royal Palace promised that updates on the King’s condition would be provided regularly. The king is expected to resume his duties in November.

On Saturday 10 October the Royal Palace reported that the king's condition was good and that he already had made a short walk.