King Harald V of Norway has been admitted to hospital and will remain on sick leave for the next two weeks, according to an official statement from the royal palace. In his absence, Crown Prince Haakon has been appointed to serve as regent.
The palace stated that the 89-year-old monarch has been battling haemolytic anaemia, a blood disorder characterised by the premature destruction of red blood cells. The current hospitalization follows recent medical treatment involving cortisone, which resulted in fluid retention in the body requiring professional care.
King Harald ascended the throne on 17 January 1991, succeeding his father, King Olav. He married his wife, Queen Sonja, in 1968. The royal family has navigated several health challenges in recent months. In May, the King's sister, Princess Astrid, was admitted to hospital with heart failure, and Queen Sonja was also treated for heart problems during the same month. Additionally, Crown Princess Mette-Marit successfully underwent a lung transplant in June. Mette-Marit, who was diagnosed in 2018 with a rare form of pulmonary fibrosis—a condition causing lung scarring and difficulty breathing—was discharged in mid-July. She is not expected to be involved in any official engagements over the next six months as she recovers.
Beyond these health concerns, the family has dealt with the arrest and sentencing of Mette-Marit's son, Marius Borg Høiby. Høiby was sentenced to four years in prison in June on two counts of rape and other offences.
