King Harald of Norway Hospital in Oslo With Bacterial Infection, as Crown Prince Haakon Steps In as Regent
King Harald of Norway, aged 89, is being treated at Rikshospitalet — the National Hospital in Oslo — for a bacterial infection in his blood, after his condition deteriorated over the weekend but responded to antibiotics. The Norwegian Royal Court issued the update on Sunday, 23 August 2026, describing the King's condition as stable and confirming he will remain in hospital while treatment continues Royal Central, 23 August 2026.
The admission follows a chain of medical setbacks. The previous week, King Harald was unexpectedly hospitalised after doctors became concerned about side effects from his treatment for haemolytic anaemia, a condition in which the immune system destroys red blood cells faster than the body can replace them. He had been receiving cortisone for the anaemia; the drug caused fluid retention, prompting doctors to admit him for tests and care. He was initially expected to take two weeks' sick leave. That plan has now been extended: the King will remain away from official duties until further notice.
Two days before the Sunday update, the Royal Court confirmed that King Harald would miss a planned visit to Trøndelag, a region in central Norway. Queen Sonja is carrying out the visit in his place. Crown Prince Haakon has stepped in as Regent, the constitutional arrangement under which the heir assumes the monarch's duties when the sovereign is incapacitated, and is now performing his father's official functions.
The Royal Court said a further health update will be provided only when there is new information about the King's condition. On 21 August, the Norwegian Royal House published a statement on its official site, kongehuset.no, confirming that the King would continue to remain at Rikshospitalet for treatment.
This is not the first hospital stay for Norway's monarch this year. On 24 February 2026, King Harald was taken to hospital on the Spanish island of Tenerife after suffering an infection and dehydration Reuters, 24 February 2026. He was found to have a skin infection on one of his legs and was reported to be responding well to treatment the following day, though doctors noted that any infection in a man of his age was a cause for concern. He was discharged from hospital in Spain on 26 February 2026. Previous infections also led to hospital stays in August 2022 and May 2023.
The broader household has had its own medical events. Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Haakon's wife, was discharged from Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet on 14 July 2026 following a lung transplant, as announced on the Norwegian Royal Court's official website.
Meanwhile, palace engagements continue. On 25 August 2026, Crown Prince Regent Haakon and Queen Sonja are scheduled to watch His Majesty The King's Guard perform in the Palace Square from the Palace Balcony at a military tattoo — a ceremonial performance of music and drill by armed forces.
For now, the machinery of Norway's constitutional monarchy keeps turning with the King in hospital and his son holding the reins. The Royal Court's next update will say when that changes.
