King Harald of Norway Hospitalised With Bacterial Blood Infection, Crown Prince Haakon Steps In as Regent
Norway's royal court announced on Sunday evening that King Harald V's health had deteriorated, days after the 89-year-old monarch was admitted to hospital with side effects from anaemia treatment. The king is now receiving antibiotics for a bacterial blood infection, and his medical team says his condition is stable and he is responding well to the medication (Royal Central).
The update, titled "Oppdatering om Kongens helse" — Update on the King's health — was published on the Norwegian Royal Court's official website and press page. It confirmed that Harald's condition worsened over the weekend and that antibiotics had been started for the infection.
The chain of events began with treatment for a form of anaemia. The cortisone Harald was receiving caused fluid retention, which led to his hospital admission. A bacterial blood infection then developed, requiring the current course of antibiotic treatment. His doctors have said he will miss public engagements for some time as treatment continues.
On Sunday afternoon, the king was visited at hospital by Queen Sonja, Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, and Princess Ingrid Alexandra.
Crown Prince Haakon, first in line to the throne, is currently serving as regent — stepping in to carry out the king's constitutional duties, a role he has taken up before when his father is incapacitated or abroad. Harald has been King of Norway since January 1991 and is described by Reuters as Europe's oldest current head of state (Reuters).
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, speaking during a visit to Ukraine, said "all of Norway is following the situation and thinking of the King." He said he was being kept up to date and hoped the King would continue to receive the best possible support. Masud Gharahkhani, the leader of the Storting — Norway's parliament — sent his best wishes for a quick recovery, adding: "We are all thinking of His Majesty and the royal family at this time."
This is not the first health scare for the king, who turned 89 earlier this year. In February 2026, he was hospitalised on the Spanish island of Tenerife with an infection and dehydration, and was treated there for a skin infection on his leg (Associated Press). Earlier, in February 2024, he was hospitalised with an infection while on vacation in Malaysia (Associated Press). He has also undergone heart surgery in recent years and was a former heavy smoker (Reuters).
In April 2024, after nearly two months of sick leave, King Harald resumed his constitutional duties and ruled out abdication, while permanently scaling back his activity (Reuters). That pattern — delegating more to Haakon while retaining the crown — has defined his reign's later years.
For now, the machinery of the Norwegian monarchy continues as designed: a regent in place, a parliament informed, and a household releasing updates through the proper channels.
