Queen Sonja Steps Back From Engagements as King Harald Remains Hospitalized in Oslo

Queen Sonja of Norway, 88, has withdrawn from several official engagements this week while her husband, King Harald, 89, remains hospitalized in Oslo with a bacterial infection and complications from anemia.

The changes appeared on the Royal House of Norway's official schedule. Queen Sonja had been set to attend the Military Tattoo — a ceremonial drill performance by The King's Guard in the Palace Square — on Tuesday. The event was rescheduled to Wednesday, and Crown Prince Haakon attended in her place, watching from the Royal Palace balcony alone. Queen Sonja also withdrew from the Foreign Affairs Council, a session she had been expected to attend alongside Haakon.

King Harald was admitted to Rikshospitalet, the National Hospital in Oslo, earlier this month following complications from treatment for hemolytic anemia, a condition in which red blood cells are destroyed faster than the body can replace them. On August 23, the palace said his condition had deteriorated over the weekend and that he was receiving antibiotics for a bacterial infection in his blood. The palace noted that he had responded to that treatment. By August 24, the Royal House reported no significant changes and described the situation as stable, a posture the palace reiterated on August 25.

Crown Prince Haakon, 53, continues to serve as regent — stepping into his father's constitutional role as head of state while the king is incapacitated. Norway is a constitutional monarchy, meaning the king's duties are largely ceremonial and representative. In practice, that means Haakon is now handling audiences with foreign ambassadors, council meetings, and military ceremonies. On August 27, he is scheduled to receive Italy's new ambassador, Andrea Cavallari, in a formal audience, followed by a meeting with the Secretary General of Norway's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Later this month, he plans to visit Færder National Park on the southeastern coast.

Reuters has described King Harald as Europe's oldest current head of state.

Queen Sonja's own health has been a factor this year. She was hospitalized with heart failure in May, discharged quickly, and has since recovered. The palace has not stated whether her withdrawal from this week's engagements is health-related, tied to her husband's hospitalization, or both.

Not everything on the queen's calendar has been cleared. She is still expected to attend a board meeting on Thursday for the Queen Sonja Print Award, an international prize for graphic art and fine art printmaking. She is also scheduled to visit several municipalities in the Trøndelag region of central Norway in early September, including a stop at Gjefsjøen Mountain Farm in Snåsa.

The royal household has not indicated when King Harald might be discharged. The king has used a pacemaker since 2003 and has had several hospitalizations in recent years, including surgery for a heart valve in 2020. Each absence has triggered the same constitutional mechanism: Haakon assumes the role of regent, and the palace issues daily updates until the king resumes his duties.

For now, the Norwegian monarchy is operating on two tracks. Haakon carries the official schedule. Queen Sonja keeps the engagements she can. And Oslo waits for the next update from Rikshospitalet.