What happened to King Harald V of Norway? Royal family gathers at hospital

Europe’s oldest reigning monarch, 89-year-old King Harald V, is in “extremely serious” condition in an Oslo hospital, prompting his family to cancel all engagements and gather at his bedside.

According to the royal palace, “the King has been ill with a serious blood disorder and has also had a blood infection.” The King was admitted to hospital on August 17th due to having hemolytic anaemia, which is a type of disease where red blood cells are destroyed quickly.

Queen Sonja, Crown Prince Haakon, who has been serving as regent, and other family members were seen visiting him at Oslo University Hospital. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre cancelled a planned trip to Germany, saying: “The whole nation is with us as we send warm thoughts to the king and the rest of the royal family.”

The people have taken to putting flowers at the entrance of the palace in Oslo.

Having taken to the throne in 1991, Harald has been troubled by many illnesses in recent times, with one notable being a pacemaker procedure in 2024, following illness while on holiday in Malaysia. He continues to turn down any chances of abdicating due to his promise to parliament.