King Harald of Norway Admitted to Hospital, Crown Prince Haakon Appointed Regent

King Harald of Norway, aged 89, was admitted to Rikshospitalet in Oslo on 17 August 2026 after his doctors grew concerned about side effects from his anaemia treatment, and Crown Prince Haakon has been appointed regent until further notice (Royal Central).

The Norwegian royal court announced that the King will take two weeks' sick leave. Haakon, who regularly steps in as regent when his father is unwell or on holiday, now assumes the duties of head of state for the duration.

King Harald has been treated for hemolytic anemia, a condition in which red blood cells are destroyed faster than the body can replace them. His treatment has included cortisone, a steroid medication, and his medical team became concerned that it had caused fluid retention — a build-up of excess fluid in the body's tissues — prompting the hospital admission for further tests and care.

This is not the first time the question of succession in active duty has arisen. Haakon had recently stepped back from regent responsibilities while his wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, recovered from a lung transplant. Mette-Marit was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis — scarring of the lung tissue — in 2018. The couple's daughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, recently transferred from her studies at a college in Sydney, Australia, to the University of Oslo, a move made to be closer to her mother during her recovery.

Queen Sonja, also 89, has received treatment for heart problems in recent months. The King and Queen had been due to visit Siljan and Nissedal municipalities on 20 and 21 October 2026. According to the official royal programme published on kongehuset.no, those visits, once completed, would mean that every municipality in Norway has received an official visit from King Harald, Queen Sonja, or the couple together (kongehuset.no). Whether the King's sick leave affects that schedule has not been announced.

What gives the moment its weight is the paperwork behind it. In Norway, the regency is a formal arrangement under which the Crown Prince is empowered to act as head of state — signing laws, holding audiences, and fulfilling constitutional duties — while the monarch is incapacitated. Haakon's appointment means those functions continue uninterrupted.

King Harald's approval ratings have continued to rise over a reign now in its 35th year. The court has not indicated when the King might be discharged.