Since his accession to the throne in 1991, King Harald V of Norway has not only been a symbol of stability for his country, but has also faced many personal battles, particularly on the health front. His medical history, marked by a series of operations and hospitalizations, the last of which dates back to the end of February 2024, testifies to his resilience in the face of significant challenges. A series of trials which inevitably impacted on the royal duties of the 87-year-old Harald V, with periods of absence and the need for Crown Prince Haakon to take over on several occasions.
The medical journey of King Harald V is indeed very complex and diverse. In December 2003, he underwent surgery for bladder cancer, marking the start of a long series of health problems. On April 1, 2005, he underwent aortic stenosis surgery, a procedure to repair a narrowed heart valve. In addition to these major interventions, the king was also confronted with respiratory problems which led him to several hospitalizations, notably in December 2019 and January 2020, then again in October 2020, even having to undergo heart surgery.
Harald V faced with repeated infections
In January 2021, Harald V tested positive for Covid-19, an additional test for his already weakened health. The same year, he also had to undergo surgery on a tendon in his right knee, before being admitted to the clinic in August 2022 following a worrying bout of fever, illustrating the diversity of medical problems he had to face. In December 2022 and early May 2023, the palace announced hospitalizations for infections, and in late February 2024, the monarch was hospitalized again for a similar infection, while on vacation in Malaysia. On X (formerly Twitter), royal expert Christins Queens notably revealed that King Harald V of Norway “had a temporary pacemaker implanted”in other words, a pacemaker, “due to low heart rate”.
Determined to continue his reign, King Harald V does not intend to abdicate
Despite these many health challenges, King Harald V of Norway has made clear his intention not to abdicate. In an interview given in 2019 to the newspaper Dagens Naeringslivhe affirmed with conviction: “I have taken an oath to the Storting which I believe will last for life. It’s as simple as that.” In a context where abdication has become a common practice in several contemporary monarchies, like Margrethe II who left the throne to her son Frederik on January 14, Harald V remains determined to continue his reign. The king, relying on the Norwegian Constitution which does not explicitly provide for the possibility of abdication, and on the example of his grandfather Haakon VII and his father Olav V, both of whom remained in office until their death, seems to want to adopt the same philosophy…
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