King Harald, 87, to undergo surgery as Crown Prince Haakon acts as regent

Norway's royal palace shared a further update about King Harald V's health following his return to his home country after being hospitalised on holiday in Malaysia.

On Monday, the royal court confirmed in a statement that the King now needs a "permanent pacemaker" after having a temporary one fitted due to a "low heart rate".

The palace added that the pacemaker implantation will take place once the monarch is completely infection-free. His general condition is "stable and improving".

King Harald, 87, fell ill with an infection while on his private holiday, it was confirmed by the palace on 27 February.

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On 3 February, His Majesty flew home to Norway via medical transport and is currently being treated at Rikshospitalet in Oslo.

Several members of the royal family visited the king in hospital on Monday, including his wife, Queen Sonja, 87, his son Crown Prince Haakon and his wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, and their daughter, Princess Ingrid-Alexandra, 20.

According to Norwegian newspaper, Dagbladet, Haakon and Mette-Marit's son, Prince Sverre Magnus, 18, was also pictured heading into the hospital to see his grandfather, as well as Harald's older sister, Princess Astrid, 92.

Crown Prince Haakon, 50, who is heir to the Norwegian throne, is currently acting as regent while his father is in hospital.

King Harald has experienced frail health in recent years. Back in January he was on "sick leave" due to a respiratory infection. He was also hospitalised for infections in May and December last year, and treated for a fever last August.

In October 2020, he had an operation to replace a heart valve and back in 2003, he underwent surgery for bladder cancer.

Unlike Queen Margrethe of Denmark, who abdicated 52 years into her reign on 14 January, Harald recently ruled out giving up the throne.

During a visit to Faktisk.np, a non-profit fact-checking website, in January, Harald set the record straight saying: "I stand by what I have said all along. I have taken an oath to the Storting, [parliament] and it lasts for life,” referring to the promise he made to the Norwegian Parliament when he acceded the throne in 1991.

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