Norway’s King Harald returns home after being fitted with pacemaker at Malaysian hospital

He will continue his recovery in Norway and take a two-week sick leave

King Harald of Norway has been discharged from a Malaysian hospital after being fitted with a pacemaker due to a low heart rate following an illness on holiday at Langkawi.

He will continue his recovery in Norway and take a two-week sick leave during which Crown Prince Haakon will assume his duties, reports said.

The Royal Palace said in a statement: “His Majesty will be on sick leave for two weeks. The crown prince will in that period be regent and take over the King’s constitutional duties.”

King Harald, Europe’s oldest reigning monarch at 87, fell ill during a visit to Langkawi. He is returning home on a medical evacuation plane for safety, following his pacemaker fitting.

Following his release on Sunday, the King is being repatriated aboard a medically equipped flight. The installation of the pacemaker is to ensure a safer journey back home, stated the King’s doctor.

On Saturday, the Royal Palace said “the pacemaker was implanted due to a low heart rate” and “the decision was made earlier today, and the procedure was successful”.

“His Majesty is doing well under the circumstances but still requires rest.”

King Harald V, who was crowned in 1991, holds the distinction of being the first native-born king of Norway since the 14th century and is among the world’s most senior reigning monarchs.

His tenure has seen Norway experience an economic surge, largely fueled by the oil and gas sectors, as per the New York Times report.

In a move that was controversial at the time, he chose Sonja Haraldsen, the daughter of a clothing merchant and a commoner, as his bride in 1968.

In recent years, King Harald has faced several health challenges, occasionally appearing in public with walking aids due to his condition. In 2020, he underwent heart surgery to replace a valve that was originally installed in 2005. He has had to take sick leave for infections in the past few months.