Norway's King Harald V hospitalized for routine checkup

On Friday, 7 August 2026, King Harald V of Norway, aged 89, completed two official engagements – a meeting with the defence minister and a council session – before traveling to Oslo’s Rikshospitalet. The palace clarified that the monarch drove himself to the hospital for a scheduled medical examination with his personal physician, not an emergency ambulance as some media reported. "The king was driven in his own car to a scheduled examination with his doctor," said royal communications chief Guri Varpe.

The visit follows a series of recent health incidents: a temporary pacemaker was implanted in 2024 after an infection during a holiday in Malaysia, and in February 2026 the king was hospitalized in Tenerife for infection and dehydration. Despite these issues, Harald continues to fulfil his duties and has ruled since 1991, with no plans to abdicate. Public concern in Norway remains high, but the palace emphasizes that the king is in good hands at his regular hospital, where his personal doctor Bjørn Bendz also practices.