Norway’s king admitted to hospital and put on sick leave

Norway's King Harald V has been admitted to the hospital and will be on sick leave for two weeks, according to the royal household. The 89-year-old monarch, one of Europe's longest-serving rulers, has been hospitalized due to fluid retention in his body, a condition that requires treatment in a medical facility. The palace stated that this issue necessitates hospitalization to address the problem effectively.

Crown Prince Haakon, aged 53, will assume regency duties while King Harald recovers. In April 2024, it was announced that King Harald would gradually reduce his public engagements due to his age. The king came to power in January 1991 and has consistently ruled out abdicating. In February, he was admitted to a hospital on the Spanish island of Tenerife due to an infection and dehydration.

In 2024, the king underwent a pacemaker implantation following a bout of illness while on holiday in Malaysia. Queen Sonja also sought hospitalization in May this year for heart-related examinations and observation. The health issues of the king and queen follow a challenging period for the Norwegian royal family. In March, Crown Princess Mette-Marit expressed regret over her correspondence with late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, stating that she should have vetted his background more thoroughly.

In June, her son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Høiby, was convicted of two counts of rape and sentenced to four years in prison.