Europe's oldest monarch, the ailing King Harald V of Norway, gets a permanent pacemaker

Europe’s oldest monarch, Norwegian King Harald V is getting a permanent pacemaker

Norway King (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Europe’s oldest monarch, King Harald V of Norway, is getting a permanent pacemaker on Tuesday, the palace said, adding that the monarch will followingly remain in hospital for a few days.

In a brief statement, the royal household said the 87-year-old would get it at Oslo's university hospital, Rikshospitalet.

Last month, Harald fell ill during a private holiday with his wife Queen Sonja on the Malaysian resort island of Langkawi. He underwent surgery and received a temporary pacemaker due to a low heart rate.

Harald returned to Norway aboard a medical airplane and was immediately transferred to an Oslo hospital.

The monarch has been in frail health in recent years with numerous hospital stays. He had an operation to replace a heart valve in October 2020 after being hospitalized with breathing difficulties.

Harald repeatedly has said he has no plans to abdicate, unlike his second cousin Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, who stepped down earlier this year.

Harald’s duties as Norway’s head of state are ceremonial and he holds no political power. He ascended to the throne following the death of his father, King Olav, in 1991.

His 50-year-old son, Crown Prince Haakan, is assuming the monarch’s duties.