Norway's Royal Family Rushes to King Harald's Side as Palace Calls His Condition "Very Serious"
The Norwegian Royal Court announced on Thursday that "His Majesty the King's state of health is very serious," prompting Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Prince Sverre Magnus to travel urgently to the National Hospital, Rikshospitalet, in Oslo (Royal Central).
The 89-year-old monarch, Europe's oldest serving head of state, has been receiving treatment at Rikshospitalet since August 17. King Harald was initially admitted after doctors became concerned about complications from his treatment for haemolytic anaemia, a condition in which red blood cells are destroyed faster than the body can replace them. He had been taking cortisone for the blood disorder but developed fluid retention requiring hospital care. During his stay, he contracted a bacterial infection in his blood and was given antibiotics.
The Palace had initially said that King Harald responded to treatment and that his condition was stable. As recently as Monday, the Royal Court reported no significant change. Thursday's wording — "very serious" — marked a shift in the language used by the Palace, though no further details were provided to explain the deterioration.
Queen Sonja and Crown Prince Haakon cancelled all scheduled engagements. Haakon has been serving as Regent — stepping in to carry out the constitutional duties of Norway's head of state while his father remains in hospital. The King has reigned since 1991.
Spanish royal journalist Jose Moreno reported on Thursday morning that the Crown Prince, Crown Princess and their son had travelled to the hospital following the latest court announcement. The family had already visited King Harald on Wednesday, spending around two hours at Rikshospitalet alongside Queen Sonja, according to Norwegian reports.
The palace website, kongehuset.no, had reported on August 23 that the King's condition had worsened over the preceding weekend. It noted that he was receiving antibiotics for the blood infection and that he had responded to the treatment. Thursday's announcement from the Royal Court superseded that more optimistic assessment.
King Harald's health has required close medical attention through 2026. In February, he was hospitalised on the island of Tenerife with a skin infection on his leg and was said to be responding well to treatment at the time (Reuters).
Crown Princess Mette-Marit has faced her own serious health challenges this year, undergoing a lung transplant following years of treatment for pulmonary fibrosis, a disease that scars lung tissue.
The Norwegian Royal Court has not provided further details about why King Harald's condition has become "very serious." The next update will come from the Palace.
