King Harald’s health has ‘deteriorated’ as palace issues urgent warning about Norwegian royal

King Harald‘s health has “deteriorated,” but he is in a “stable condition”, according to latest updates. 

The Norwegian King, 89, who is Europe’s oldest reigning monarch, was taken to the National Hospital in Oslo last week with a rare blood condition called haemolytic anaemia, which is when red blood cells are destroyed too quickly. 

He has been placed on sick leave for two weeks, with his son, Crown Prince Haakon, acting as regent. 

The Norwegian Palace issued an urgent update to the press on Sunday, with the following information shared: “His Majesty the King’s health deteriorated over the weekend. The King is receiving antibiotics for a bacterial infection in his blood, and has responded to this treatment.”

They added: “His condition is stable. His Majesty will remain at Oslo University Hospital (Rikshospitalet) and is on sick leave until further notice.”

In addition, an upcoming visit to Trøndelag on 1 and 2 of September has been cancelled, with Queen Sonja scheduled to carry out the engagement alone. 

King Harald has faced numerous health battles over recent years; he was fitted with a pacemaker in 2024 and was taken to hospital while on holiday in Tenerife earlier this year. 

King Harald hospitalised with rare blood condition

King Harald was taken to hospital last week with haemolytic anaemia after a routine check-up in the preceding days.

In a statement, the Norwegian Palace confirmed that he had “been treated with cortisone for the blood disease hemolytic anemia in recent weeks. This has led to fluid accumulation in the body that requires treatment in hospital”. 

© Rune Hellestad – Corbis/Getty Images

Haemolytic anaemia causes the number of red blood cells in the body to be reduced, leading to fatigue and shortness of breath.

The sole cause is not always obvious, but it can be caused by infections, other autoimmune conditions or certain drugs.

A note in the Royal House’s calendar added: “His Majesty The King is on sick leave. His Royal Highness The Crown Prince is Regent during the period.” They did not provide further comment on his scheduled recovery.

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Who is King Harald of Norway?

Harald was born on 21 February 1937 at the royal estate of Skaugum outside Oslo. He was only six when Germany invaded Norway in 1943, and he flew to the US with his family, before returning home after the war. 

Harald became King Harald V in January 1991 when his father, King Olav, passed away. 

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King Harald and his wife, Queen Sonja, are due to celebrate their 58th wedding anniversary on Saturday. 

The couple married in 1968, but their relationship was initially controversial due to Sonja’s status as a commoner. 

They now share two children: Crown Prince Haakon and Princess Martha Louise of Norway, who no longer completes royal duties. 

Haakon has served as regent on several occasions amid the King’s ill health, which has also included urinary bladder cancer in 2005 and cardiac surgery in 2020.