Norway‘s 86-year-old King Harald has been admitted to hospital with an infection and will stay “for several days”, the palace said on Monday.
Harald, who has reigned over the Scandinavian nation for 32 years, has suffered a number of health problems in recent years and now uses crutches to move around.
“His Majesty the King is ill and has been admitted to the national hospital” in Oslo, the palace said in a statement.
He has “an infection that must be treated and will therefore stay in hospital for several days”, the statement said, describing his condition as “stable”.
Harald was taken to hospital for infections last August and December, and also for Covid and respiratory problems.
The king underwent surgery in 2003 for bladder cancer and had an operation in 2005 for heart valve problems.
The former Olympic yachtsman has refused to abdicate and took part in the World Sailing Championships in July 2022.
On Saturday, his son Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit represented Norway’s royal family at the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in London.
It remains to be seen whether Harald will be able to take part in the state visit of Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella to Norway on Thursday and Friday.
“Apart from today, there is no change to his programme, at least for the time being,” palace spokesman Sven Gjeruldsen told AFP.
The king had been scheduled to take part in ceremonies on Monday commemorating Norway and Europe’s liberation from Nazi Germany on May 8, 1945.
Prince Haakon will take his place instead.
Harald is the grandson of Haakon VII — the first Norwegian regent after the country gained independence from Sweden in 1905 — and has ruled since January 1991.
