Norway's King Harald V, 89, has seen his health deteriorate while in hospital being treated with antibiotics for a bloodstream bacterial infection, the royal palace has announced. Although he has responded to the treatment, the monarch will remain at Oslo University Hospital and stay on leave from royal duties until further notice, extending an absence that began a week ago. The news adds to a difficult stretch for Norway's royal family, with King Harald's son, Crown Prince Haakon, continuing to act as regent in his father's place.

King Harald, who has reigned since 1991, had already been receiving cortisone treatment for a rare blood condition called haemolytic anaemia, which reduces red blood cell counts and causes fatigue and breathlessness. He has faced recurring health issues in recent years, including a pacemaker fitted in 2024 after falling ill in Malaysia, prompting a "permanent reduction" in his public engagements. The wider royal family has endured a turbulent 2026, with Crown Princess Mette-Marit receiving a lung transplant in June, her son Marius Borg Høiby being sentenced to four years in prison for rape, and Mette-Marit apologising for her past friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.