Norway’s King Harald V is in an “extremely serious” condition in hospital, according to the country’s royal household.
The 89-year-old monarch has been receiving treatment at Oslo University Hospital for more than a week after being diagnosed with haemolytic anaemia, a rare blood condition that reduces the number of red blood cells in the body and can cause fatigue and shortness of breath.
King Harald’s wife, Queen Sonja, and his son, Crown Prince Haakon, have cancelled their royal engagements and gathered at his bedside. Other members of the royal family, including Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Princess Astrid, have also reportedly visited the hospital. 
Crown Prince Haakon, 53, is the heir to the Norwegian throne and has been serving as regent while his father is on leave.
Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre also cancelled a planned trip to Germany, where he was due to meet Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
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“The whole nation is with us as we send warm thoughts to the king and the rest of the royal family,” Støre said.
Members of the public have begun leaving flowers in Palace Square outside the Royal Palace in Oslo as concerns over the king’s health grow.
King Harald has experienced several health problems in recent years and has had to reduce his royal duties. In 2024, he was fitted with a pacemaker after becoming ill while on holiday in Malaysia.
He has been on the Norwegian throne since 1991 and is Europe’s oldest serving head of state.
The royal family has faced several health and personal challenges this year. Crown Princess Mette-Marit underwent a lung transplant in June after being diagnosed with a rare form of pulmonary fibrosis in 2018.
The transplant came shortly after her son, Marius Borg Høiby, was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of two counts of rape. Høiby, who is not a royal figure, has denied the most serious charges and is appealing the sentence.
Earlier this year, documents also revealed Mette-Marit’s frequent contact with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. She later apologised to the king and queen for her three-year friendship with Epstein and said she had shown “poor judgement”.
