Norway's King Harald V's Health Worsens, Palace Says
BBC News reports that Norway's King Harald V's health has taken a turn for the worse, according to the palace. He remains in Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, receiving antibiotics for a bacterial infection in his bloodstream.
King Harald V, aged 89, has shown a response to treatment despite his deteriorating condition. He will remain on sick leave and off royal duties until further notice.
The monarch was admitted to hospital and put on sick leave a week ago. His son, Crown Prince Haakon, aged 53, has been serving as regent in his father's absence.
The king has been treated for haemolytic anaemia, a rare blood condition that causes fatigue and shortness of breath. He had previously been fitted with a pacemaker after falling ill during a holiday in Malaysia in 2024.
In a challenging year for the Norwegian royal family, Crown Princess Mette-Marit received a lung transplant in June after being diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018. Her son, Marius Borg Høiby, was sentenced to four years in prison for rape earlier in the year.
The palace also revealed that King Harald had made a "permanent reduction" to his public engagements due to his age in April 2024.