King of Norway: Harald V, 87, flies home to Oslo from Malaysia on £150,000 flight after pacemaker operation

A plane has flown the King of Norway, Harald V back to Oslo after he had a pacemaker fitted in Malaysia
Steven Ross
By Steven Ross
3rd Mar 2024, 3:34pm
King Harald V of Norway flies home from MalaysiaKing Harald V of Norway flies home from Malaysia
King Harald V of Norway flies home from Malaysia

The King of Norway, Harald V, has departed Malaysia on a plane bound for Oslo today (March 3), the day after he had a pacemaker fitted after falling ill on holiday.

Harald V, 87, is Europe’s oldest monarch, and the second oldest in the world, had been on holiday with his wife, Queen Sonja, at the northern resort island of Langkawi to celebrate his 87th birthday on February 21. 

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He fell ill and was treated for an infection - the Royal House of Norway announced that Harald had to have a pacemaker fitted due to a low heart rate and that the operation had been successful.

King Harald V of Norway was on holiday in Malaysia with his wife Queen Sonja when he became ill and had to have a pacemaker fittedKing Harald V of Norway was on holiday in Malaysia with his wife Queen Sonja when he became ill and had to have a pacemaker fitted
King Harald V of Norway was on holiday in Malaysia with his wife Queen Sonja when he became ill and had to have a pacemaker fitted

The king had surgery at the Sultanah Maliha Hospital on Saturday to implant a temporary pacemaker, and a Scandinavian Airlines medical evacuation plane took off from Oslo on Thursday to bring the King back following his operation.

The Boeing 737-700 aircraft departed Langkawi today - it will fly to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, and will travel onto Norway from there. The travel costs of the private flight are estimated at £150,000 and will come out of the country’s defence budget.

The Royal House of Norway said: “Upon arrival in Norway, His Majesty will be admitted to the [Oslo] hospital Rikshospitalet.”

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Harald will be on sick leave for two weeks to recover from his operation, during which time his son and the heir apparent Crown Prince Haakon, 50, will assume the monarch’s ceremonial duties. The monarchs of Norway do not have political power.

Despite falling ill several times in the last few years - 2020 Harald had an operation to replace a heart valve - the king says that he has no plans to abdicate.

Related topics:Norway

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