Norwegians have been laying flowers in front of the palace in Oslo after the royal household announced that King Harald V's condition in hospital had become "extremely serious." Because when the monarch's health takes a nosedive, the appropriate response is apparently to turn the palace into a floral tribute, as one does.
His wife, Queen Sonja, and son, Crown Prince Haakon, cancelled royal engagements to be at his bedside at Oslo University Hospital, along with other family members. They later left, presumably to get some air and maybe a coffee, because even royalty needs a break from the vigil.
The 89-year-old king has been in hospital for 10 days receiving treatment for a rare blood condition, haemolytic anaemia. On Thursday afternoon, the palace issued an update that his condition was unchanged, which we're told is not good news, though it does leave room for a dramatic plot twist.
Having been on the throne since 1991, King Harald is Europe's oldest head of state, a title that comes with its own set of challenges, like remembering where you left your crown.
Crown Prince Haakon, 53, the successor to the Norwegian throne, has been serving as regent while his father is on leave, because someone has to keep the monarchy running while the boss is out.
King Harald has been treated with cortisone for haemolytic anaemia, a condition that reduces red blood cells, leading to fatigue and shortness of breath. So basically, he's running on fumes, but with royal stoicism.
There was a sombre mood in Oslo as Norwegians followed the comings and goings of the royal family. Crowds milled around Palace Square throughout the day as Norwegian public TV scrapped its schedule to cover the story, because nothing says "national crisis" like preempting your favorite soap opera.
Among those visiting the hospital were Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who arrived with Haakon, as well as her son Marius Borg Høiby, who is under house arrest during his appeal against a conviction for rape. Because apparently, even royal family drama has a revolving door.
King Harald's sister, Princess Astrid, also visited, along with Haakon and Mette-Marit's children, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus. It's a family affair, and by affair, we mean a gathering of people who are related by blood or marriage and share a collective worry.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre cancelled a planned trip to Germany, where he was expected to meet Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday. "The whole nation is with us as we send warm thoughts to the king and the rest of the royal family," he said, because even politicians know when to show a bit of heart.
The king has had multiple health problems in recent years, forcing him to scale back his royal duties. He was fitted with a pacemaker in 2024 after falling ill on holiday in Malaysia, because even monarchs aren't immune to vacation mishaps.
The Norwegian royal family has already faced a challenging year in 2026. Crown Princess Mette-Marit received a lung transplant in June after being diagnosed with a rare form of pulmonary fibrosis in 2018. The transplant came two days after Høiby was sentenced to four years in prison for two counts of rape. He denied the most serious charges and is to appeal.
Høiby, 29, was four when his mother married Crown Prince Haakon and is not himself a royal figure, which is probably a relief to the palace PR team.
Also earlier in the year, documents were released revealing Mette-Marit's frequent contact with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. She later apologized to Norway's king and queen for her three-year friendship with Epstein, admitting to "poor judgement" and adding in a national TV interview that she wished she had never met him. Because hindsight is always 20/20, even for princesses.