King Harald of Norway hospitalized with worsening infection

King Harald V of Norway, 89, remains hospitalized receiving antibiotics for a bacterial infection in his bloodstream as his health has worsened, according to the palace. The monarch has responded to treatment despite the deterioration, per BBC reporting. He will remain at Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, and on leave from royal duties until further notice.

King Harald has been on the throne since 1991 and was admitted to hospital and placed on sick leave a week ago. The current infection comes as he is being treated with cortisone for haemolytic anaemia, a rare blood condition that causes the number of red blood cells in the body to be reduced and leads to fatigue and shortness of breath. Crown Prince Haakon, 53, has been serving as regent while his father is on leave.

This is the latest in a series of health events for the Norwegian royal family. In 2024, the king was fitted with a pacemaker after falling ill on holiday in Malaysia. In April 2024, the royal household announced that King Harald would make a permanent reduction to his public engagements "out of consideration for his age." Crown Princess Mette-Marit received a lung transplant in June 2026 after being diagnosed with a rare form of pulmonary fibrosis in 2018.

The royal family has also faced other crises. In 2026, documents revealed Mette-Marit's frequent contact with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. She apologized in a national television interview, saying she wished she had never met him and admitting to "poor judgement." Additionally, Mette-Marit's son Marius Borg Høiby, 29, was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of two counts of rape; his lawyers have said he will appeal the sentence. Høiby was four when his mother married Crown Prince Haakon and is not himself a royal figure.