Norway’s 89-year-old King Harald has been admitted to a hospital in Oslo after a medical examination, where it was determined that he has developed fluid buildup following cortisone treatment for hemolytic anemia, a blood disorder where red blood cells break down or die faster than the body can reproduce them. Europe’s oldest monarch has been put on sick leave for two weeks, according to a statement made by the Royal Palace.
Earlier in February, King Harald was admitted for a skin infection to a hospital in Spain’s Canary Islands and was discharged after treatment. A day after the king was admitted for his skin infection, his personal doctor, Bjørn Bendz, traveled to Tenerife, to the hospital where the king was being treated.
Similarly, the king faced another serious health complication in 2024 when he fell ill with an infection during a private holiday on a Malaysian resort island. The illness prompted doctors at a local hospital to implant a temporary pacemaker to monitor his heart rate for his flight back home.
During the king’s two-week sick leave, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway will be in charge of all royal affairs, serving as regent in his absence.
This is a breaking news story. Information will be updated as details become available.
