Queen Sonja has been forced to pull out of a royal engagement at the last minute due to unforeseen circumstances.
The Norwegian royal, 88, was scheduled to attend an audience and official lunch with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Royal Palace of Oslo on Monday, alongside her husband, King Harald, 89, and son, Crown Prince Haakon, 52. It comes just days after she joined the rest of the royal family for Norway’s National Day celebrations on Sunday.
The palace later confirmed this was due to heart fibrillation, but said her future engagements are not expected to be affected.
Simen Løvberg Sund, communications advisor at the Palace, told Dagbladet: Her Majesty the Queen has cancelled her official programme today due to heart fibrillation. For now, only today’s programme is affected.”
Queen Sonja’s next scheduled engagement is a county trip to Vestland between May 26 and 28 with King Harald. The palace is yet to confirm whether the appearance is still going ahead.
What is atrial fibrillation?
Atrial fibrillation is a type of health problem where the heartbeat is not steady. Common symptoms include an irregular heartbeat, tiredness, or chest pain.
There is no cure for atrial fibrillation, but proper treatment can help reduce the risk of complications such as blood clots, strokes and heart failure. Treatments may include medicine, having a pacemaker fitted, or using electricity to reset the rhythm of the heart.
Queen Sonja has suffered from atrial fibrillation before and was hospitalised during a ski trip in January 2025. She spent a few hours in the hospital before her heartbeat returned to normal, before scheduled surgery to implant a pacemaker at Rikshospitalet in Oslo. Last Easter, she also required urgent assistance due to breathing difficulties.
Norway’s health struggles
The news comes just days after Crown Princess Mette-Marit appeared at Norway’s national celebrations, using oxygen and suffering severe coughing fits.
© Getty ImagesLast week, the King’s sister, 94-year-old Princess Astrid, returned to hospital for the second time in a month, and had to undergo emergency heart surgery.
In February, King Harald was taken to hospital while on holiday in Spain, and was treated for an infection and dehydration. He was later said to be “responding well” to treatment.
The royals in Scandinavia appear to have been suffering from health concerns more widely. Queen Margrethe, the former monarch, was taken to hospital after suffering a heart attack. She was admitted last Thursday with angina and underwent surgery on her coronary artery the next day.
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