Norway’s King Harald V shifted to hospital in Oslo from Malaysia

By Leila Nezirevic

LONDON (AA) – Norway’s King Harald V has been shifted to a hospital in the capital Oslo from Malaysia, where he was hospitalized while on vacation, local media reported on Monday.

King Harald V fell ill last week while on vacation in Langkawi, a popular tourist island in Malaysia, and was admitted to the Sultanah Maliha hospital, where a peacemaker was installed.

According to the royal family, the king was hospitalized for an infection while on a private vacation in Malaysia with Queen Sonja.

Europe's oldest ruling monarch has been ill in recent years, raising concerns about the health of the head of the state.

The king has been using crutches to get around for a long time and has suffered from many illnesses in recent years, including heart surgery and various respiratory problems, according to local media.

In January, the palace said he was on sick leave until Feb. 2 because of a respiratory infection, while earlier in December, he was admitted to the hospital with an infection.

Still, the king has no abdication plans despite speculation that he might follow in the footsteps of his second cousin, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, who at the age of 83 abdicated on Jan. 24 this year, exactly 52 years after ascending the throne.

King Harald V, Norway's ceremonial head of state since 1991, insisted on January 23 that his oath to serve the country is for life, according to the Norwegian news agency NTB.

“I maintain what I have said all the time. It lasts for life,” he said.

Whenever the king was reportedly ill, the 50-year-old crown prince Haakon presided in his father's absence, including at the weekly meeting with the prime minister and the government.

Despite hospitalization, the king’s first official duty remains scheduled for Mar. 8, when he and Haakon are due to preside over the state council meeting, according to the royal house’s calendar.

The Norwegian monarchy dates back more than one thousand years. However, modern Norway is an independent nation, with the king serving as the state’s ceremonial head.

The king is regarded as the first Norwegian king in more than half a millennium, following the dissolution of Norway and Sweden's union in 1905.