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Norway’s King Harald V is in a “very serious” condition in hospital, and his family has rushed to his bedside, the royal court has announced.
The 89-year-old monarch has been in hospital on 17 August to receive treatment for a bacterial infection in his blood.
The palace said on Thursday that his condition had deteriorated.
His wife, Queen Sonja, and son, Crown Prince Haakon, had both cancelled all planned events.
They and other members of the Norwegian royal family were seen by reporters arriving at the Oslo University Hospital where the king is being treated.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere also cancelled a trip to Germany because of the king’s condition.
Norway’s King Harald in 2025 (Reuters)
“The whole nation is with us as we send warm thoughts to the king and the rest of the royal family,” he said.
Hundreds of people gathered outside the Royal Palace in central Oslo and many lay flowers as they awaited further news.
The speaker of Norway’s parliament, Masud Gharahkhani, broke off an official visit to Iceland and was heading back to Norway. The Committee of Foreign Relations and Defence said its members would return home from South Korea.
The Lutheran Church of Norway’s College of Bishops, in Rome for a rare visit with the pope, announced it would return home as soon as possible, according to media reports.
Harald has served as Norway’s ceremonial head of state since 1991 and is Europe’s oldest living monarch.
In 2024, the king announced he would scale back his official engagements out of consideration for his age, but ruled out abdication, saying his oath was for life.
People have placed flowers at the Palace Square (Reuters)
Harald was on sick leave for several weeks before being admitted to hospital, and has been receiving antibiotics for his blood infection.
Crown Prince Haakon has been serving as regent while his father is in hospital.
The palace earlier said that his sickness was triggered by cortisone treatment for his haemolytic anaemia, which led to fluid accumulation in the body.
According to the NHS, haemolytic anaemia is a rare blood condition sees the red blood cells destroyed faster than the bone marrow can replace them.
It can either be passed down genetically or acquired later in life.
Common symptoms include extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, fast heartbeat or palpitations, pale skin, jaundice, and dark urine.
Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, seen leaving the hospital after an earlier visit to King Harald (Ole Berg-Rusten / NTB)
Harald has been in and out of the hospital several times in recent years.
In February, he was admitted to a hospital in Spain’s Canary Islands during a winter vacation. He was treated for a skin infection at the time.
Two years ago, the king fell ill during a private vacation with the queen in Malaysia and received a temporary pacemaker there.
He then returned aboard a medical airplane to Norway, where he was fitted with a permanent pacemaker.
Haakon has acted as regent numerous times over the years while his father received medical treatment.
Harald and Sonja also have a daughter, Princess Märtha Louise.
