King Harald V of Norway in very serious condition after health deteriorates
The Norwegian Royal Palace announced that 89-year-old King Harald V is in very serious condition at Rikshospitalet in Oslo, prompting Crown Prince Haakon and Queen Sonja to cancel official duties.
Palace announcement and regency
The Norwegian Royal Palace announced on Thursday morning that the health condition of King Harald V has deteriorated to very serious. Following the statement, Crown Prince Haakon and Queen Sonja canceled all scheduled official engagements for the day. Crown Prince Haakon, aged 53, is serving as regent and performing state duties during the monarch's hospitalization. Royal family members arrived at Rikshospitalet in Oslo around 9:15 local time (07:15 GMT) as concerns grew following previous reports of stability. Public broadcaster NRK cited royal historian Ole-Jørgen Schulsrud-Hansen regarding the palace's warning.
When words this strong are used, that is precisely when we must take those words seriously.
Hospitalization and blood infection
The 89-year-old monarch has been hospitalized at Oslo University Hospital since 17 August 2026. Doctors admitted Harald V for fluid retention that occurred following cortisone treatment for hemolytic anemia, an autoimmune disease where red blood cells break down faster than normal. On 23 August, the palace stated that the king's condition worsened due to a bacterial blood infection, prompting doctors to initiate antibiotic treatment. Although palace statements on 24 August indicated that the king responded to antibiotics and remained in stable condition, his health worsened sharply on Thursday.
- King Harald V is hospitalized in Oslo for fluid retention following cortisone therapy for hemolytic anemia.
- The palace confirms the monarch has developed a bacterial blood infection and started antibiotic treatment.
- Palace updates report that the king is responding to antibiotics and remains in stable condition.
- Crown Prince Haakon attends a military exercise in Oslo before visiting his father at Rikshospitalet.
- The Royal Palace announces the king's condition is very serious, prompting royals to cancel official schedules.
Royal family gathering in Oslo
Several members of the Norwegian royal family arrived at Rikshospitalet following the palace update on Thursday morning. The visitors included Crown Princess Mette-Marit, the king's eldest daughter Princess Märtha Louise, his older sister Princess Astrid, and several grandchildren. Crown Prince Haakon had attended a military exercise at Oslo Palace Square on Wednesday before arriving at the hospital later that afternoon. Harald V has consistently rejected abdication in favor of his son despite advancing age, continuing official duties with crutches and often sitting on a high stool during public appearances.
Medical history and scheduled municipal visits
Harald V is Europe's oldest reigning monarch, having assumed the throne on 17 January 1991 following the death of his father, King Olav V. The king was previously hospitalized in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, for a skin infection on his leg in February and March 2026. In early 2024, doctors in Langkawi, Malaysia, fitted him with a temporary pacemaker before a medical flight brought him back to Norway for a permanent device. Harald V previously underwent surgeries for a bladder tumor in 2005, heart valve replacements in 2005 and 2020, and knee ligament surgery in 2021, alongside hospital stays for COVID-19 in March 2022 and an infection in 2023. Although his agenda for the next two weeks has been delegated to Crown Prince Haakon, the king maintained official travel plans for September, including a trip to Rindal on 1 September as part of visits to four remaining Norwegian municipalities by late October.
