The King Harald V of Norway is facing a severe health issue. It was at the start of the weekend when it became known that the monarch had been admitted to a hospital to treat a respiratory condition. An admission that, at first, did not appear to be life-threatening, but his condition has deteriorated as the days have passed. Thus, as the Norwegian Royal Household has disclosed, the king has suffered a bloodstream infection that has worsened his health. As a result, in recent hours several events in Oslo have been canceled, and Sonja, Harald’s wife, has canceled her schedule to stay close to her husband.
The King has also received visits from most of his family, including his children and grandchildren, who have followed his health status very closely. King Harald V of Norway, born in 1937, has, in recent years, featured a complex health history that has kept the Nordic monarchy in a state of constant suspense. Despite his repeated medical setbacks, the monarch has consistently rejected the idea of
The latest admission of King Harald of Norway
Two years later, he underwent open-heart surgery to replace the aortic valve with a biological prosthesis. In 2020 he again underwent a procedure because the bioprosthetic valve implanted in 2005 had reached the end of its lifespan and needed urgent replacement with a new biological valve. Between 2022 and 2023 he endured several consecutive hospital admissions at Oslo University Hospital due to respiratory infections and recurrent fever, even suffering sepsis (blood infection) during a holiday in December 2022.
In 2024, while on private vacation to Langkawi Island (Malaysia) to celebrate his 87th birthday, he suffered a severe infection and a drastic drop in his heart rate. He was rushed to a Malaysian hospital, where a temporary pacemaker was implanted. Subsequently, a government-chartered medical aircraft from Norway transported him back to Oslo. Upon arrival at Oslo University Hospital, a permanent pacemaker was implanted to regulate his heart rhythm. For years he has also endured serious mobility problems in his legs and his back, which have forced him to rely on crutches for his movements.
“He is gravely ill”
Following his recovery in 2024, the Norwegian Royal Household announced a permanent restructuring of his duties; the monarch substantially reduced the number and intensity of his public appearances, delegating to the heir, Prince Haakon, representation in events that demand significant physical exertion or international travel. Undoubtedly, it is his second admission that concerns Norwegians the most. The 89-year-old monarch began to show fevers and general malaise. He was taken to the Oslo University Hospital (Rikshospitalet) after being diagnosed with an infection that required intravenous antibiotics and monitoring of his vital signs.
Given his history — especially the permanent pacemaker implanted after the Malaysia incident and his prior circulatory issues — the doctors opted for a preventive admission to avert any decompensation. For the moment, and as confirmed by the daily Se og Hor, he is “grave.” “King Harald was treated at the beginning of this month for autoimmune hemolytic anemia. This illness caused his hospitalization in mid-August following a medical check-up,” confirm the aforementioned newspaper. “According to Sundhed.dk, autoimmune hemolytic anemia is a condition in which the body’s own immune system falters,” they add.
“If it is not treated, the consequence is that patients like King Harald tire more easily, have trouble breathing, and suffer from dizziness,” they add. In addition to the King’s health, the Norwegian Royal Household has faced various controversies that have shaken the Monarchy. It is the most serious and recent scandal to affect the Nordic monarchy; Marius is the eldest son that Princess Heir Mette-Marit had before marrying Prince Haakon—he is not a member of the Royal Household nor does he hold titles, but he grew up at the heart of the family.
He was arrested in Oslo after an incident at his girlfriend’s apartment, accused of physical and psychological aggression, property damage, and threats. After the arrest, he issued a public statement admitting that he had acted under the influence of alcohol and cocaine, confessing to several mental disorders and a long-standing addiction. Police investigations broadened after complaints from other ex-partners (including influencers Juliane Snekkestad and Nora Haukland) about domestic violence and abuse within the relationship.
The elder sister of Prince Haakon has long been a focal point of public debate due to her private ventures and pseudoscientific positions. Her romantic relationship and subsequent marriage to American alternative healer Durek Verrett sparked harsh criticism in Norway. Verrett has marketed medallions with supposed cancer-curing powers and espouses conspiracy theories about conventional medicine. They were repeatedly accused of using the title of “princess” to promote paid talks, books about angels, and products of alternative medicine.
In response to public outrage and medical circles, in 2022 the Royal House removed Märtha Louise from her official representative duties and explicitly prohibited her from using her royal title for commercial purposes on social networks and business ventures. The Norwegian Royal House has been notable for breaking with tradition regarding the marriages of its heirs, which at the time provoked intense public debate. When Prince Haakon announced his engagement to Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby in the late 1990s, Norwegian public opinion was divided. She was a single mother, her former partner had drug convictions, and she herself admitted to having had a past of excess in Kristiansand’s nightlife. The controversy was resolved after an emotional press conference where she publicly apologized before the wedding.
Years earlier, the king Harald V himself had to threaten his father —King Olav V— with never marrying if he would not allow him to wed Sonia Haraldsen, a common citizen and daughter of a merchant, thereby breaking a centuries-old tradition in European monarchies.
