Norway's aging king falls ill during a hard year for the royal family

Norway's King Harald V, 89 — Europe's oldest serving head of state — is in hospital with a serious bloodstream infection that worsened on 22–23 August 2026. His son, Crown Prince Haakon, is filling in as regent, meaning he takes over the king's duties for now. The illness adds to a painful year: the crown princess's June lung transplant, her son's rape conviction, and her contact with Jeffrey Epstein.