King Harald of Norway has been admitted to a hospital in Spain, the royal palace has said. The 89-year-old monarch is being treated for an undisclosed infection and dehydration.
Harald, who marked his 89th birthday on Saturday, is thought to have been on holiday in Spain’s Canary Island of Tenerife with his wife, Queen Sonja.
The royal, who has been Norway’s king since 1991, was admitted to Hospital Universitario Hospiten Sur on Tuesday evening. He is reported to be in good condition.
A statement from the palace
The announcement was made on Tuesday evening by The Royal House of Norway. The statement read: “His Majesty the King (Harald V) was admitted this evening to Hospital Universitario Hospiten Sur in Tenerife. The King is being treated for an infection and dehydration, and his condition is, under the circumstances, good.”
The king’s personal physician will travel to Tenerife and an update will be provided after he has assessed the situation, the palace added.
Harald’s recent health issues
In February 2024, the monarch was hospitalised for an infection while on holiday in Malaysia, and received a temporary pacemaker at a hospital there. He was later flown back to Norway, where a permanent pacemaker was fitted.
© GettyHarald has experienced ill-health in recent years. In January 2024, he was put on “sick leave” due to a respiratory infection. He was also hospitalised for infections in May and December 2023. In October 2020, he had an operation to replace a heart valve and in 2003, he underwent surgery for bladder cancer.
A challenging time for the Norwegian Royals
Harald’s hospital admission comes amid a difficult time for the Norwegian Royals. King Harald’s daughter-in-law, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, is facing backlash over her friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The royal is named multiple times in the documents released by the US Department of Justice.
Addressing her friendship with the disgraced financier in January, Mette-Marit said in a statement shared with Norwegian outlet NRK: “Jeffrey Epstein is responsible for his actions. I must take responsibility for not checking Epstein’s background better and for not understanding quickly enough what kind of person he was.”
© Rune Hellestad – Corbis/Getty ImagesThe royal, who is married to Crown Prince Haakon, the heir to the Norwegian throne, continued: “I deeply regret that, and this is a responsibility I must take. I showed poor judgment and regret ever having any contact with Epstein. It is simply embarrassing.”
Earlier this month, HELLO! spoke with Niklas Kokkinn-Thoresen, editor in chief of Se og Hør Norway, about the long-term effects of the family drama.
“The fact that Crown Princess Mette-Marit met Jeffrey Epstein both at his home and in Oslo, several years after he admitted to sexual abuse, is difficult for many to accept,” Niklas said.
© GettyThe editor-in-chief also explained that Mette-Marit had previously been “very popular” in Norway and “perceived by many as down-to-earth and a good representative of the Royal House,” but noted that her popularity might now be impacted.
“The revelations of the past few days place the Crown Princess in a very bad light and, not least, cast doubt on her honesty toward the Norwegian people. The Epstein case will definitely affect the monarchy – and especially her – in a negative way,” Niklas said.
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