King Harald V of Norway is in a critical state after a severe infection. The royal family has halted all official duties. The situation has prompted concern from Norwegian authorities and the public.
King Harald V of Norway, Europe’s oldest reigning monarch, is now in a critical condition following a sharp decline in his health. The 89-year-old king was admitted to Oslo’s Rikshospitalet ten days ago with anemia, which soon led to a serious blood infection. According to the Norwegian royal household, his situation has worsened significantly, prompting the immediate suspension of all official activities by both Queen Sonia and Crown Prince Haakon, who is currently acting as regent.
Since early morning, Queen Sonia and the royal heirs, Haakon and Mette-Marit, have remained at the hospital. Later, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Prince Sverre Magnus, and Princess Astrid, the king’s sister, joined them, as reported by national broadcaster NRK. Marius Borg Høiby, Mette-Marit’s eldest son, also arrived at the hospital, despite currently serving house arrest after a conviction last June for two counts of rape and abuse against a former partner.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has publicly expressed his concern, sending best wishes to the king and his family, and voiced confidence in the medical care being provided. While the prime minister’s schedule remains unchanged, the president of the Norwegian Parliament has canceled a planned trip to Iceland to return home. Members of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee are also returning from South Korea, and the College of Bishops of the Lutheran Church of Norway is cutting short its stay in Rome.
Six days ago, the royal household confirmed the king’s hospitalization due to anemia, which had caused fluid retention and required cortisone treatment. Earlier this year, Harald V spent several weeks on medical leave after a leg infection that led to a hospital stay in Tenerife, Spain. Last weekend, the palace reported that his condition had worsened due to a bacterial blood infection, though he initially responded well to antibiotics and remained under observation.
Throughout his hospital stay, the king has received visits from his wife and both children, with Crown Prince Haakon temporarily assuming regency. Both royal spouses have also faced recent health challenges: Princess Mette-Marit underwent a lung transplant in June due to pulmonary fibrosis, while Durek Verrett, husband of Princess Märtha Louise, recently received a kidney transplant.
King Harald V has faced a series of health setbacks in recent years, including the implantation of a permanent pacemaker in 2024 and hospitalization for COVID-19 in 2022. In April 2024, he announced a permanent reduction in his royal duties to avoid impacting the monarchy’s public role. The current crisis has drawn attention across Europe, especially as royal health and succession issues remain a sensitive topic. The situation in Norway echoes the heightened focus on royal affairs seen elsewhere, such as Morocco, where the king’s recent actions regarding Ceuta and Melilla have also made headlines.
Norway’s monarchy, established in its modern form in 1905, has long played a symbolic role in national unity. King Harald V, on the throne since 1991, is widely regarded as a stabilizing figure. His current health crisis not only affects the royal family but also has implications for the country’s political and social landscape, as the nation awaits further updates from the palace.
