Norway's King Harald stable in hospital in Tenerife, needs close monitoring, says physician

TENERIFE, Spain/OSLO, Feb 25 (Reuters) - Norway's King Harald, 89, is suffering from a skin infection on his leg and is responding well to treatment, though any infection in a man of his age is serious and requires close monitoring, his personal physician said on Wednesday.

Europe's oldest head of state was taken to hospital on Tuesday on the Spanish island of Tenerife, where he was on a private holiday, suffering from an infection and dehydration. His physician arrived at the hospital on Wednesday, Norwegian media reported.

"When people of almost 90 years old are admitted with an infection, it is serious," physician Bjorn Bendz said in a statement released by the royal palace. It added more information would be given on Thursday.

"It is important that we get a good overview and control of the King's health before he is discharged – even if his condition is stable now," the statement said.

A couple of Spanish police officers were guarding the main entrance to the hospital, live TV footage showed.

Harald, who has served as Norway's ceremonial head of state since 1991, was hospitalised in 2024 for an infection while on holiday in Malaysia, and received a temporary pacemaker there. He was later transferred to Norway, where a permanent device was implanted.

Following this episode, the king said he would cut back on official engagements but ruled out abdication, insisting his oath as king is for life.

Harald's calendar has been busy of late, however, with numerous functions in Norway as well as in Italy where he cheered on the country's athletes at the Winter Olympics.

A DIFFICULT TIME FOR THE FAMILY

His illness comes at a time of multiple challenges for the royal family. 

Crown Princess Mette-Marit, married to Harald's son Crown Prince Haakon, is facing intense scrutiny for her friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a relationship she has apologised for. 

Mette-Marit suffers from a chronic lung disease that will require her to have a lung transplant and her son Marius Hoiby, born from a relationship predating her marriage to Haakon, is currently on trial for rape and domestic violence.

Hoiby has denied those charges while admitting some lesser crimes.

Support for the monarchy has taken a hit, dropping to 60% in February from 70% the previous month, according to a Norstat poll published on February 21 by public broadcaster NRK.

(Reporting by Gwladys Fouche in Oslo, Borja Suarez in Tenerife and Essi Lehto in Helsinki, editing by Andrei Khalip, Gareth Jones, Alexandra Hudson)