King Harald V of Norway suffered a deterioration in his health over the weekend while receiving treatment for a blood condition, the Norwegian royal palace announced on Sunday. The 89-year-old monarch was admitted to the National Hospital in Oslo last Monday following complications connected to his illness.
Palace officials stated that the king's medical condition worsened over the weekend. He is currently receiving antibiotics to combat a bacterial blood infection and is responding well to the treatment.
King Harald suffers from hemolytic anemia, a blood disease that causes the body to destroy red blood cells at an abnormally fast rate. As Europe's oldest reigning monarch, he has managed several health issues in recent years. He ascended the throne in 1991 and has repeatedly ruled out the possibility of abdicating.
Family members have gathered at the Oslo hospital in recent days to remain at his bedside. Among them is his son, Crown Prince Haakon, who is serving as regent during the king's period of illness.
Royal household scandals
The monarch's latest health setback comes during a challenging period for the Norwegian royal family, which has been dealing with multiple public scandals in recent months. Much of the attention has centered on Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001.
Documents made public in the United States at the end of January revealed correspondence between the princess and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The exchanges, which at times adopted a particularly intimate tone, occurred between 2011 and 2014, after the American financier had already received his criminal conviction.
Princess Mette-Marit has also been impacted by the legal troubles surrounding her 29-year-old son, Marius Borg Høiby, from a relationship prior to her royal marriage.
Høiby was sentenced in June to four years in prison without parole after being convicted of two rapes and 32 other charges, including physical violence against a former partner. He has lodged an appeal against the ruling.
The 53-year-old princess has simultaneously faced serious health challenges. She suffers from an incurable lung disease and underwent a lung transplant procedure in July.
