King Harald of Norway is "responding well" to treatment and is set to be discharged from hospital after being taken ill while holidaying overseas.
The monarch, who marked his 89th birthday over the weekend, was admitted and treated for an infection and dehydration at the Hospital Universitario Hospiten Sur on Tuesday evening in Tenerife, where he has been holidaying with his wife, Queen Sonja.
At the time, the palace said his condition was "good". In a further update, released on Thursday, an official press release stated that the King has been "responding well" to treatment and has "recovered quickly".
The update read: "Today he will be discharged from the hospital. Nevertheless, the royal couple will continue their private stay in Tenerife. No decision has yet been made about when they will return home. The King's doctor will remain in Tenerife for a few days to monitor his progress.
"We will provide a new update on Monday, March 2, or earlier if there is any change in his health status." The King's personal doctor, Bjørn Bendz, has now revealed that the infection stemmed from a "skin infection" on his legs.
Dr Bendz told the press: "When people nearing 90 are admitted with an infection, it's serious. It's important that we have a thorough evaluation and monitoring of their health before they are discharged, even if their condition is already stable."
© Rune Hellestad - Corbis/Getty ImagesTenerife is a popular holidaying destination for the couple. This time, they have been staying at Bahia del Duque, a luxury five-star hotel on the Costa Adeje coastline with direct access to the beach.
King Harald's health
King Harald has experienced ill-health in recent years. In February 2024, the monarch was hospitalised for an infection while on holiday in Malaysia, and received a temporary pacemaker at a hospital there. He was later flown back to Norway, where a permanent pacemaker was fitted.
In January 2024, he was put on "sick leave" due to a respiratory infection. He was also hospitalised for infections in May and December 2023. In October 2020, he had an operation to replace a heart valve and in 2003, he underwent surgery for bladder cancer.
© Rune Hellestad - Corbis/Getty ImagesIt is a difficult time for the Norwegian royal family in general, as, while King Harald has been spending time in hospital, the trial of Marius Borg Hoiby has continued in Oslo.
Hoiby, who is the son of Crown Princess Mette Marit, faces 38 charges, including four of rape, which he denies. Mette Marit herself has faced increased scrutiny in recent weeks over her friendship with the convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.
Harald has been Norway's king since 1991. He married Sonja Haraldsen at Oslo Cathedral in 1968, a move that was considered controversial at the time as Sonja was a commoner, not born into European royalty or nobility. They share two children: Princess Martha Louis and Crown Prince Haakon, who is heir to the throne.
