The king is hospitalized in Malaysia with an infection, according to the royal house. A Malaysian hospital on the holiday island of Langkawi confirms that the king is a patient there.
King Harald arrives at the Government’s lunch for Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan in the Representationsboligen, 14 February 2024. Today, the royal house reports that the king has been admitted to hospital. Photo: Cornelius Poppe / POOL / NTB
Sea view
Published: 27.02.2024 16:24 | Updated: 27/02/2024 20:56
Malaysia’s most trusted news channel, Astro Awani, announced that King Harald has been admitted to Hospital Sultanah Malihai in Langkawi.
An employee at the public hospital confirms that the king is a patient at the hospital. She also says that security measures have been put in place, but that she cannot provide more information.
The king is a patient at the Sultanah Malihai hospital in Langkawi, the hospital confirms to Aftenposten. Photo: Langkawi Community
Sea view
The hospital is located on Langkawi, a popular holiday island north-west of Malaysia. Dating back to 1882, the hospital is one of the oldest state-funded hospitals in Malaysia.
Langkawi is considered among Malaysia’s most exotic holiday destinations. White beaches and lush nature attract many millions of tourists from all over the world every year. The archipelago is known for its rich wildlife and has received UNESCO-status as the world‘s geopark.
Receives good follow-up
“His Majesty the King has fallen ill during his holiday in Malaysia, and is hospitalized there, with an infection,” the royal house writes in the press release.
The king turned 87 on 21 February. He was supposed to celebrate his birthday abroad, according to Nettavisen.
The royal palace writes that the king now receives good follow-up from both Malaysian and Norwegian medical personnel.
The king was recently sick with a respiratory infection, but was reported to have recovered on 2 February.
It is planned that the king will meet in the cabinet on 8 March.
Aftenposten has been in contact with the royal family. They will not answer questions and refer to the press release that has been sent out.
On Wednesday, the crown prince couple will go to Finse to visit the Red Cross course in rescue management. They are not changing their plans, writes VG.
– That is still the plan. Any changes will appear in the programme, says Simen Sund, press officer at the Castle VG.
– Immediately admitted to hospital
Trond Norén Isaksen, historian and expert on the royal house, says such unspecified infections have been the king’s main health problem in recent years, apart from bad bones, corona and some colds.
He points out that the king is quickly admitted to hospital when such infections occur.
– As far as I understand, this is about the fact that such an infection is relatively dangerous for a man of his age, who has such impaired health as he does. It is also the reason why he is immediately admitted to hospital when they occur, because there is a risk of it developing into sepsis, or blood poisoning.
The Royal Household has not wanted to answer Aftenposten’s questions about the king’s condition.
– How special is it that you are so reticent with information as you are now?
– In Norway, people are more open about the king’s health than in many other countries. After all, all people have the right to privacy, and you don’t always want to give all the details. In some cases they don’t know everything, you have to assume that this has happened recently and that you may not yet know that much. But in such a special situation, they should probably issue updates along the way, says Norén Isaksen.
This photo was taken in 1979, when the then Crown Prince Harald was visiting Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. He visited a center for boat refugees from Vietnam. Photo: Bjørn Sigurdsøn / NTB
Sea view
– Sad to hear
– It was sad to hear that King Harald is hospitalized in Malaysia. I would like to wish King Harald a speedy recovery and hope he is well again soon, says Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap) to VG.
So does Erna Solberg (Right).
– I wish King Harald a very good recovery and hope he gets home safely to Norway.
“Boring” illness last year
The last year has offered some periods of illness for the king. He has been on sick leave with infections and corona disease.
Last summer he was admitted to Rikshospitalet for a week.
– What I can say is that it was boring, said the king and laughed heartily when he had to summarize the hospital stay afterwards.
Reported that the crown prince stepped in
The royal house announced on Monday 19 February that the king would go on a private trip abroad and that Crown Prince Haakon would take over as regent while the king was abroad. It was not disclosed where the king traveled, but now we know that he traveled to Malaysia.
When the king is not present, it is the crown prince who steps in as crown prince regent.
It is not unusual for the king to go on private trips abroad. In 2022, the king celebrated his 85th birthday on a winter holiday abroad with his immediate family.
also read
King Harald has a birthday – turns 87
Notices of illness in the last year
King Harald has had a number of hospitalizations in the past year:
- 27 February 2024: King Harald has fallen ill during his holiday stay in Malaysia and is hospitalized there.
- 31 January 2024: The king is taken ill as a result of a respiratory infection. He is back at work on February 5.
- 22 October 2023: King Harald is taken ill after being diagnosed with corona, and must, among other things, attend the traditional palace dinner for the representatives of the Storting the week after. He has symptoms of a cold and stays at home at the Castle. On 30 October he is back at work again.
- 28 August 2023: The king is called in sick due to a cold and has to drop a planned trip to Skaun in Trøndelag. He will be discharged on 3 September.
- 8 May 2023: King Harald is admitted to Rikshospitalet after being diagnosed with an infection. He will be discharged on 15 May and discharged on 16 May. Thus, he is healthy in time to greet the children’s train from the castle balcony on 17 May.
The king has also had several hospital stays and sick calls in previous years. In 2021, he underwent surgery for a knee injury. In 2020, he had a new biological heart valve operated on. The flap that was replaced was first operated on in 2005. In December 2003, King Harald was diagnosed with bladder cancer. On 8 December of the same year, the cancerous tumor was removed in what the doctors described as a very successful operation.