King Harald V of Norway hospitalized in Oslo for fluid retention linked to anemia

Hospitalization in Oslo

King Harald V of Norway was admitted to Rikshospitalet in Oslo on 17 August 2026 for medical treatment following complications from recent therapy. The 89-year-old monarch had been receiving cortisone treatment in recent weeks for hemolytic anemia, a blood disorder characterized by the rapid destruction of red blood cells. According to the Royal Court, the steroid therapy caused fluid to accumulate in his body, necessitating inpatient hospital care to manage the condition. The royal palace announced that Harald will remain on sick leave for at least two weeks while undergoing treatment.

The King has been treated in recent weeks with cortisone for the blood disease hemolytic anemia. This has led to a fluid accumulation in the body, which needs to be treated in a hospital.

Transfer of duties to Crown Prince Haakon

Crown Prince Haakon assumed the regency on Monday to fulfill official duties and state responsibilities during the King's two-week absence. Harald has served as Norway's head of state since 1991 and is the oldest monarch in Europe. The King has expanded his son's official responsibilities over recent years, though he has stated repeatedly that he has no intention to abdicate the throne. The temporary assumption of duties occurs during a period of reduced scheduling for Haakon, whose public appearances had been adjusted following medical treatments for his wife. To maintain the family's official schedule, the royal couple's children, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus, have taken on a larger number of public engagements.

Concurrent health issues in the royal household

The King's hospitalization coincides with multiple health challenges affecting other senior members of the Norwegian royal family. Queen Sonja, who is also 89 years old, was admitted to the hospital in May 2026 after suffering from a cardiac arrhythmia that forced her to miss a scheduled official engagement. Crown Princess Mette-Marit is recovering from a lung transplant received in summer 2026 after living with a severe chronic lung condition for several years. In addition, the King's sister, Princess Astrid, continues to receive medical attention for a heart condition.

Medical history over the past two decades

The admission on 17 August 2026 follows several earlier medical emergencies and hospital stays for the monarch. In February and March 2026, Harald spent several weeks on medical leave after contracting a leg infection during a holiday in Tenerife, Spain, which required emergency hospitalization. In March 2024, he fell ill during a vacation in Malaysia and subsequently underwent surgery to have a permanent pacemaker implanted. Earlier hospital stays in Oslo include admissions for infections in 2022 and 2023, knee ligament surgery in 2021, and a heart valve replacement in 2020 that updated a previous valve implanted in 2005. The monarch also underwent surgery to remove a bladder tumor in 2003.