Norway’s King Harald, 89, Hospitalized for the Second Time This Year
Norway’s King Harald, 89, Hospitalized for the Second Time This Year
Meredith KileMon, August 17, 2026 at 8:30 PM UTC
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King Harald of NorwayCredit: OLE BERG-RUSTEN/NTB/AFP via Getty -
Norway’s King Harald has been hospitalized for the second time this year
The 89-year-old monarch was hospitalized in February for an infection and dehydration while on a family vacation
The royal house announced that the King’s son, Crown Prince Haakon, will serve as regent while his father goes on sick leave for two weeks
Norway’s King Harald has been hospitalized for the second time this year, extending a difficult year of medical issues for the royal family.
The Royal House of Norway announced on Monday, Aug. 17, that the King, 89, had been hospitalized due to side effects from other ongoing medical treatment.
In Norwegian, the statement read, “The King has 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.”
The King will be on sick leave for two weeks, the statement continued, during which Crown Prince Haakon will serve as regent. It also noted that more announcements are to come about the effects of the King’s hospitalization on the Royal House’s official program.
Crown Prince Haakon and King Harald of Norway attend the opening of the Total Defence Year 2026 in Oslo on Feb. 11, 2026Credit: Per Ole Hagen/Getty
The King was previously hospitalized in February, several days after his 89th birthday while on holiday in Tenerife with his wife, Queen Sonja. The palace released a statement at the time saying the King had been treated for “infection and dehydration.”
The King’s physician, Bjørn Bendz, later revealed that the hospital stay stemmed from a skin infection. “When people of almost 90 years old are admitted with an infection, it is serious. It is important that we get a good overview and control of the King’s health before he is discharged - even if his condition is stable now,” the doctor said, in part.
During that time, Crown Prince Haakon was also installed as regent until King Harald was discharged from the hospital on Feb. 26.
The King also previously endured a leg operation in 2022, COVID diagnoses in 2022 and 2023 and pacemaker surgery in 2024.
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King Harald has reigned for 35 years and became monarch at age 53 upon the death of his father, King Olav, in January 1991.
Despite his declining health and the fact that he has an heir of ruling age, the monarch has previously said that he doesn’t plan to give up the throne. The King made the comment during a royal outing with Prince Haakon in January 2024, when the press asked him about abdicating like Queen Margrethe of Denmark recently had.
“No, I don’t really have it. I stand by what I have said all along. I have taken an oath to the Storting, and it lasts for life,” King Harald said, referencing the pledge he made to the Norwegian Parliament when he acceded to the throne.
The King isn’t the only member of the Norwegian royal family who has faced serious health issues this year. Queen Sonja was hospitalized in May following a heart failure diagnosis. The Queen previously had a pacemaker installed in January 2025 after experiencing atrial fibrillation during a ski vacation, which necessitated her being airlifted to the hospital.
Queen Sonja and Crown Princess Mette- Marit attend the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony at Oslo City Hall on Dec. 10, 2024Credit: Rune Hellestad/Getty
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Additionally, Prince Haakon’s wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, underwent a lung transplant in June after being diagnosed in 2018 with chronic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable lung condition. Prior to her surgery, the princess’ condition had deteriorated to the point that she had to wear a nasal cannula, or oxygen breathing tube, for some public appearances.
The transplant, which took place at Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, was lauded as a success by Mette-Marit’s doctors. The Crown Princess and her husband sent their thanks to the medical staff and the public for the well-wishes they received during the “challenging time.” She was first pictured for the first time following the operation at home in July, as she and Prince Haakon cheered on the Norwegian men’s team in the 2026 World Cup.
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
