The Norwegian royal house has announced that King Harald V. has been treated with cortisone for a form of anaemia and is currently in hospital. The announcement came just days after he returned from a holiday in Tenerife.
Oslo, 17 August 2026
The Norwegian royal house has announced that King Harald V. has been treated with cortisone for a form of anaemia in recent weeks and is now in hospital.
The Norwegian royal house said the monarch is receiving medical care for a condition known as haemolytic anaemia, a form of anaemia in which red blood cells are destroyed prematurely. He had been treated with cortisone in recent weeks, according to the statement.
The announcement came after the king's return from a private stay in Tenerife. The return home had been delayed due to an infection, the royal house said. Harald V. will continue to be treated and monitored in hospital.
Norway's Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Haakon had previously already announced that their father had fallen ill. Haakon has most recently stood in for the monarch at official engagements, including a visit to Malaysia, and has taken on duties of the head of state during this period.
The illness raises the question of the future stamina of the 89-year-old. In recent years, the king's state of health has repeatedly deteriorated; infections and treatments have already curtailed his public agenda on several occasions.
The royal house has so far not commented in detail on the further schedule of treatment. Nor was there initially any information on possible effects on upcoming official engagements or planned trips.
Sonja, the monarch's wife, is accompanying him during this time, according to the house. Astrid, the king's sister, also belongs to Norway's extended royal family and has in the past repeatedly stepped in at representative duties.
The Norwegian leadership is in regular contact with the royal house regarding the head of state's state of health. The constitutional position of the monarch in Norway has been purely representative since 1814; political decisions lie with the government and parliament, the Storting.
Observers point out that the crown prince's family, with Crown Prince Haakon and Mette-Marit, has taken on an increasing share of public duties in recent months. This is interpreted as a gradual preparation for a possible regency phase, without the royal house having commented on this officially.
The announcement was picked up at short notice by Norwegian media and published in the state media and on the royal house's website. The royal house announced that it would provide further information on the king's state of health in the event of any significant changes.
