The royal couple write in a greeting that they feel a great need to thank them for all the care, help and support in connection with the king becoming ill during the holiday they were on in Malaysia. “We have felt the warmth flowing from the Norwegian people during this time. The great commitment has moved us, and strengthened us. Many thanks to everyone for the consideration you have shown us in the family,” says a message on Kongehuset.no from the royal couple. The royal couple also thank the Malaysian authorities and staff at the Sultanah Maliha Hospital, the hospital in Langkawi in Malaysia where the king was admitted just over a week ago. Malaysian police escorted the ambulance that drove King Harald to the airport when he was to be transported home from Langkawi. Photo: MOHD RASFAN / AFP “Together with Norwegian health personnel, they did everything they could so that the king would recover well from the illness and be ready for the journey home.” Furthermore, the royal couple also thank those who brought the king home to Norway. “We are very grateful to the Norwegian government, the Armed Forces and others who helped make the journey home so safe and smooth for us. At Rikshospitalet, the king is now undergoing expert treatment. We thank each and every one who has given us care, practical and healthcare help in a challenging situation.” Photo: Eskil Wie Furunes / news Good news about the king’s health The royal couple’s thanks come on the same day as good news about the king’s health: today the royal house confirmed for the first time that King Harald’s infection is under control. The Palace announced this in a press release this afternoon. Queen Sonja has visited the king at Rikshospitalet after they returned home from Malaysia. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB The king’s general condition is satisfactory, and the doctors are satisfied with the development, it was further stated in the press release. Doctor Kaveh Rashidi is optimistic about the situation after the royal house announced that the king’s infection is under control. Photo: Snorre Tønset / news – It’s a very positive press release. That an infection has reversed is the most important thing when it comes to recovering from infections, says Kaveh Rashidi, specialist in general medicine, to news. – And a pacemaker that must be in permanently is a small intervention that is done every day everywhere in Norway. Easy for even an 87-year-old man. Rashidi points out that infections in general can be dangerous if they are not reversed. On the other hand, if the infection can be stopped and brought under control, according to him, things look very bright. – Just the fact that you are on the road to recovery says something about the fact that it is only a matter of time before you get well. POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT: King Harald has been hospitalized for over a week after falling ill with an infection on holiday in Malaysia. The doctors have now got the infection under control. Photo: Eskil Wie Furunes / news Will probably have a pacemaker inserted next week The fact that the infection is now under control also means that the king may soon have a permanent pacemaker inserted. According to Slottet, it will probably happen early next week. The king needs a permanent pacemaker due to his heart rate being too low. Senior doctor at Oslo University Hospital explains what a permanent pacemaker is. Pacemaker is a system that can stimulate the heart muscle electrically so that a heartbeat can be started. Properly adapted, it completely or partially replaces the heart’s conduction system. On Saturday, it became known that the King had been fitted with a temporary pacemaker at the Sultanah Maliha Hospital in Langkawi due to a low heart rate. The decision was made on Saturday morning and was supposed to make the journey home safer, stated the king’s physician Bjørn Bendz in a press release at the time. The king has also previously undergone interventions related to the heart. In 2020, King Harald replaced a heart valve at Rikshospitalet, after struggling with heavy breathing. Also in 2005, he also underwent an operation on the heart valve between the heart and the main artery. At that time, the aortic valve was replaced with an artificial heart valve. Sick on holiday Just over a week ago, the royal house announced that King Harald had fallen ill during a private holiday in Malaysia and had been admitted to hospital there. The king was on holiday in Malaysia with the queen. According to the royal family, the king was hospitalized with an infection and received good follow-up by both Norwegian and Malaysian health personnel. The king’s physician, who is usually a doctor at the National Hospital, himself went to Malaysia after the king’s hospitalization. Last year, King Harald had 431 work assignments – this is how his working day looks like:
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