Royals
Norwegian king on his way home after falling ill on vacation
King Harald V is the oldest monarch in Europe. photo
© John Sibley/PA/dpa
After falling ill while on vacation in Malaysia and having to use a temporary pacemaker, Norwegian King Harald V returns home.
The Norwegian King Harald V is named after him I fell ill while on vacation in Malaysia and had to use a temporary pacemaker on the way home. The 87-year-old was taken to a hospital in Oslo and was then on sick leave for two weeks, the royal family said. During this time, Crown Prince Haakon (50) will take over the king’s constitutional duties as regent.
A medical plane from the Scandinavian airline SAS took off from Langkawi airport early in the morning, the newspaper “Verdens Gang” reported. The king is expected in Oslo around midnight after a stopover in the United Arab Emirates. In addition to the monarch, his wife Queen Sonja (86) was also on board. The plane landed at Langkawi Airport on Friday.
Harald contracted an infection while on holiday in Malaysia and was taken to hospital there. A temporary pacemaker was inserted into him on Saturday. The operation will make the journey home safer, said Harald’s anesthesiologist Bjørn Bend, according to a statement on Saturday. The royal family had announced in advance that the head of state was planning a private trip abroad.
King Harald is the oldest monarch in Europe. He has been struggling with his health for some time now. He was recently plagued by a respiratory infection in the winter. Since 1991, Harald has sat on the Norwegian throne, which he took over from his father King Olav V.