On Tuesday afternoon, the Royal House divided into one press release that King Harald has fallen ill during his holiday stay in Malaysia, and is hospitalized with an infection.
Read also: King Harald hospitalized in Malaysia
The King will receive good follow-up from both Malaysian and Norwegian medical personnel. NRK has also received confirmation that Queen Sonja is on the holiday.
The hospitalization has received extensive media coverage, and the news has also reached foreign media.
Wide coverage in Malaysia
According to Nettavisen’s contact in Malaysia, Lucas Diinish, the situation of the Norwegian king is considered big news in Malaysia.
The Malaysian news website Astro Awani has reported that the Norwegian king has been admitted to the hospital Sultanah Malihai.
The country’s state news agency Bernama writes that he is admitted to a royal suite at the hospital. This information has not been confirmed by the hospital.
The Malaysian Newspaper Daily Rays writes that King Harald “was rushed to the hospital Sultanah Maliha on the island of Langkawi”.
“It is thought to be related to respiratory and heart problems. Astro AWANI is still seeking official confirmation regarding this development”, writes the newspaper and states that Crown Prince Haakon is regent in King Harald V’s absence.
The British television channel, GB News has reported the same:
“The King of Norway rushed to hospital with infection during holiday in Malaysia”, reads the headline.
The news website freemalaysiatoday has also mentioned the news.
“Hospitalized”
Both Danish Se og Hør and Swedish Aftonbladet topped the news about the Norwegian king in their online newspapers, citing the press release from the Norwegian royal house.
“The Norwegian court forced to reveal King Harald’s secret holidays,” reads the headline of an article the newspaper published on Tuesday.
The newspaper writes that it was not publicly known where King Harald was on holiday to celebrate his birthday, but that when he fell ill the Norwegian Royal House had to reveal his secret destination.
To TV 2 confirms a hospital on the Langkawi island group that the king is admitted there, and an employee at Hospital Sultanah Malihai in Langkawi confirmed to Aftenposten Tuesday evening that the king is a patient there.
The employee also said that security measures have been put in place at the hospital, but that she could not provide more information.
Nettavisen’s contact, who is in Malaysia, can inform that there is a heavy police presence both outside and at the hospital in Malaysia, apparently more than is usual.
On Wednesday morning, several cars with diplomatic plates were seen outside the hospital.
– Can be anything from a trifle to something serious
Both newspapers point out, as do several Norwegian newspapers, that King Harald has been sick and hospitalized on several previous occasions in recent years.
The king was, among other things, admitted in May last year to Rikshospitalet. Half a year earlier, he also had to be treated with intravenous antibiotics.
– The king has had infections several times in the past and then he was immediately admitted to the National Hospital and treated with antibiotics, says royal house expert Trond Norén Isaksen to VG.
Read also: Tove Taalesen: – Can be anything from a trifle to something serious
Nettavisen’s royal house expert, Tove Taalesen, believes it is absolutely right that the king is admitted to hospital now during the holiday trip, regardless of the degree of severity.
– It can be anything from a trifle to something serious. It could be simple food poisoning for all we know. And it is clear that an 87-year-old man will be admitted to hospital regardless of where he is in the world, says Taalesen to Nettavisen.