Norwegian King Harald is in “very serious condition” as his health has deteriorated, palace officials announced Thursday. The 89-year-old monarch was admitted to the National Hospital in Oslo earlier this month.
His condition had previously stabilized following a bacterial blood infection, but the royal palace stated that it has now worsened. Queen Sonja and Crown Prince Haakon, the king’s son, have canceled their scheduled engagements due to the development.
Crown Prince Haakon has been serving as regent during his father’s hospitalization. King Harald, who ascended to the throne in 1991, has a history of health issues and has been in and out of the hospital in recent years. He has been living with hemolytic anemia for some time and had been on sick leave for several weeks prior to his current admission.