King Harald V has been hospitalised (Picture: Getty)
King Harald of Norway has been hospitalised after falling ill while on holiday in Malaysia.
The monarch, 87, was taking a private trip abroad to celebrate his birthday before he developed an infection.
He was admitted to Sultanah Maliha Hospital on the Malaysian resort island of Langkawi, the Norwegian royal house confirmed on Tuesday.
Two days before King Harald V’s birthday last week, the palace announced he’d be going on a trip abroad but didn’t specify the dates or destination.
Details of his condition are limited, however the royal is said to be receiving good care from both Malaysian and Norwegian doctors.
King Harald, Europe’s oldest living monarch, has had several illnesses in recent months and underwent heart surgery in 2020.
Harald was pictured walking on crutches on his way to lunch with members the Norwegian government last week (Picture: Cornelius Poppe/NTB/AFP)
He also spent time in hospital last May to treat another infection.
Crown Prince Haakon will be carrying on with his existing planned engagements at home.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said that he was ‘sad’ to hear of the king’s hospitalization and wished him a ‘speedy recovery’.
King Harald, second cousin of Britain’s King Charles III, became Norway’s ceremonial head of state in 1991 and confirmed that he has no plans to abdicate.
It comes after Queen Margrethe of Denmark, 83, abdicated after 52 years on the throne, making way for her son Frederik to take over last month.
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