Norway's King Harald Worsens; Royals Gather at Hospital
Norway's King Harald Worsens; Royals Gather at Hospital
The News
Norway's King Harald V, 89, is in a "very serious" condition after his health deteriorated in hospital, the royal court said Thursday.
The king has been at Oslo University Hospital since August 17, treated for a bacterial infection in his blood.
Crown Prince Haakon and Queen Sonja have canceled all planned events, the palace said, and family members were seen arriving at the hospital, Norwegian media reported.
Harald is Europe's oldest living monarch and has been Norway's ceremonial head of state since 1991.
Timeline
Harald becomes king, taking on the ceremonial role he still holds.
He falls ill on a private vacation in Malaysia with Queen Sonja, is fitted with a temporary pacemaker there, and flies home on a medical plane to receive a permanent one.
The king announces he will cut back official engagements because of his age, but rules out abdication, saying his oath as king was for life.
He is admitted to a hospital in Spain's Canary Islands during a winter vacation and treated for a skin infection.
After several weeks on sick leave, Harald is admitted to Norway's National Hospital and put on antibiotics for a bacterial blood infection. Crown Prince Haakon takes over as regent.
The royal court says his condition has worsened and is now "very serious." The queen and crown prince clear their schedules and go to the hospital.
Reactions
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said in a statement to the media: "The whole nation is with us as we send warm thoughts to the king and the rest of the royal family."
The palace has released only clinical updates, saying the illness was triggered by cortisone treatment for the king's haemolytic anaemia, which caused fluid to accumulate in his body.
What's Next
Crown Prince Haakon continues to serve as regent, as he has done repeatedly during his father's hospital stays, and further updates are expected from the royal court.
Harald has ruled out abdication, so the crown would pass to Haakon on the king's death.
More
Haemolytic anaemia is a rare blood condition in which red blood cells are destroyed faster than the bone marrow can replace them, according to Britain's NHS. Symptoms include extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, a fast heartbeat, pale skin, jaundice and dark urine. It can be inherited or acquired later in life.
Harald and Sonja have two children, Crown Prince Haakon and Princess Martha Louise.
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