King Harald's Health Issues

[polyesco]

Now: The evacuation plane at Langkawi in Malaysia
SAS's MEDEVAC plane landed early Friday morning Norwegian time on the holiday island of Langkawi, where King Harald is hospitalized with an infection.

Her er evakueringsflyet på Langkawi i Malaysia - VGTV

SAS sitt MEDEVAC-fly landet grytidlig fredag morgen norsk tid på ferieøya Langkawi.

tv.vg.no

 

[kalnel]

It's a little alarming that they are going to use a medical transport plane to get him home. If he's well enough to leave the hospital, I would think a very comfortable private jet where he could rest would be enough.

 

[hereditarytitles]

I think it is just a precaution, in case he doesn't feel well during this very long flight. I understand that this special plane is equipped like a small hospital.

 

[Izzie]

Having a medical transport on stand-by, IMO, gives the optics that he is going from one hospital in Malaysia to another hospital in Norway.

I am surprised there is no uproar over this! It just gives the optics of a Head of State, in frail health, that was just in hospital earlier this year, taking such an ill-advised long trip to Malaysia, and for a private holiday no less. Now authorities have had to be pulled in, the embassy, his doctor has had to fly to Malaysia and a specially equipped transport plane on top of that!!

It is only the 1st of March and this is his second hospitalization! On that note, I will refrain from the rest of my thoughts.

 

[Somebody]

It's a little alarming that they are going to use a medical transport plane to get him home. If he's well enough to leave the hospital, I would think a very comfortable private jet where he could rest would be enough.

I don't think there are many private jets that can fly this distance - and if this airplane is available, I can see why they don't want to take any risks.

 

[kalnel]

I don't think there are many private jets that can fly this distance - and if this airplane is available, I can see why they don't want to take any risks.

Corporate luxury jets can go far without refueling. But, if the King had some distress during the trip, it would make sense to have him on a well-equipped hospital jet.

But, still concerning to me.

 

[Somebody]

In that case the government would need to lease a corporate jet. Not sure that would be the better option. If there was a government plane that could do the full distance and it would be possible from a health perspective that would have been ideal. This seems the next best option.

 

[Katiedidit]

Norwegians really seem laid back - in every other country there would be sh*tstorm in the media for a head of state taking such an unnecessarily risk at his age and with his well documented health problems, going on holiday in Malaysia and produce this effort and cost to get him back.

I agree and thought the same thing. Not a wise decision to go so far away at his age.
Hope he feels better soon!

 

[xenobia]

The plane did a refueling stop in Sharjah on the way to Langkawi. I assume they will do the same thing on the way back home. So it won't be a direct flight. And yes, I know this because I'm a Flightradar24-geek

 

[tommy100]

scary at first to hear they are going to use a medical plane to bring him home but I guess both in terms of what the Norwegian Air Force has and from a "just in case" view point it makes sense.
NRK reports it will cost 2million Kroner - £150,000 / $189,300 for the flights to bring the King home.

Hjemtransport av kongen koster over 2 millioner kroner

Forsvaret finansierer hjemtransporten fra Malaysia over forsvarsbudsjettet.

www.nrk.no

I'm glad Harald is being well looked after, both in terms of his health and being cared for to get home. I do think maybe a review of whether someone known to have picked up as many infections as Harald should be holidaying SO far away from home is fair. I read somewhere they like going to Malaysia as it affords them privacy - I understand that and god knows Harald has earned the right to have a good holiday in peace but I think maybe a bit nearer to home next time would be better.

 

[Izzie]

scary at first to hear they are going to use a medical plane to bring him home but I guess both in terms of what the Norwegian Air Force has and from a "just in case" view point it makes sense.
NRK reports it will cost 2million Kroner - £150,000 / $189,300 for the flights to bring the King home.

Hjemtransport av kongen koster over 2 millioner kroner

Forsvaret finansierer hjemtransporten fra Malaysia over forsvarsbudsjettet.

www.nrk.no

I'm glad Harald is being well looked after, both in terms of his health and being cared for to get home. I do think maybe a review of whether someone known to have picked up as many infections as Harald should be holidaying SO far away from home is fair. I read somewhere they like going to Malaysia as it affords them privacy - I understand that and god knows Harald has earned the right to have a good holiday in peace but I think maybe a bit nearer to home next time would be better.

Here is the post that has that link: General News & Information for King Harald V and Queen Sonja: 2006 -

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

Maybe the PM will have a chat with the King about that kind of cost he produced.

 

[xenobia]

Update: The king had a temporary pacemaker implanted. I find all this quite worrying.

Update on His Majesty King Harald's health situation

 

[Blog Real]

The situation seems a little worrying. A good recovery for the King.

 

[Hans-Rickard]

King Harald is not a stupid man… Had he really thought he would not be fit enough to go abroad, he wouldn’t have done it… We can question wether it was really neccessary to go that far, but i can also see why they did it… Had they gone to one of the Canary Islands they would have been accompanied by a whole lot of other scandinavians in their age group and wouldn’t be afforded much privacy….

I’m sure he will be more careful where he chooses to go from now on, if his health still allows him to go anywhere… He is not known to be one of the stubborn monarch’s (of wich we have had quite a few in europe)… But honestly it wouldn’t have mattered much had he been on Tenerife instead… They would still have had to bring him home… You don’t send a sick head of state back home on a regular Scandinavian Airlines flight or with a shared ambulance flight with other patients…

 

[Granada]

Wow, a temporary pacemaker.
In light of Queen Margarethe's shocking decision to step down, I wonder if this worrisome turn of events might cause King Harold to reconsider his most recent statement that Abdication isn't an option....."it lasts for life".
Maybe work thru this year, prepare, get all the details ironed out and announce it for next year.
He still has, ahem.....Martha Louise and Durek's Wedding to in August too.
He is 87. Crown Prince Haakon is 50 and Ingrid Alexandra is 20. A terrific lineup, in my opinion.

 

[Iza Borowiec]

Wow, a temporary pacemaker.
In light of Queen Margarethe's shocking decision to step down, I wonder if this worrisome turn of events might cause King Harold to reconsider his most recent statement that Abdication isn't an option....."it lasts for life".
Maybe work thru this year, prepare, get all the details ironed out and announce it for next year.
He still has, ahem.....Martha Louise and Durek's Wedding to in August too.
He is 87. Crown Prince Haakon is 50 and Ingrid Alexandra is 20. A terrific lineup, in my opinion.

And Mette-Marit's health condition is not satisfactory either.

Everything happening after Harald's 87th birthday is very concerning (I don't believe in coincidences but just checked info and his father was 87 years old at the time of his death). I hope he'll return home safely.

I'm glad that Queen Sonja seems to be in good health, as both Harald and Haakon need her support right now.

 

[Somebody]

Having a pacemaker implanted because of a low heart beat to make the return trip safer sounds a bit more worrisome than the previous messages. Hope all turns out well.

 

[kalnel]

Having a pacemaker implanted because of a low heart beat to make the return trip safer sounds a bit more worrisome than the previous messages. Hope all turns out well.

Better safe than sorry. They wouldn't want the king to have some kind of heart crisis when the plane is flying over the middle of the Pacific where they aren't close to somewhere to land.

 

[polyesco]

"The 87-year-old had one of his heart valves replaced in 2020.
It is, however, just one of the many bouts of illness that he has had in recent years."

Kong Harald har fået pacemaker

God bedring.

www.bt.dk

The plane situation

Får ekspertene til å stusse

Et eksternt kjøleanlegg koblet til flyet som skal frakte kong Harald reiser spørsmål om hva som foregår på innsida.

www.dagbladet.no

 

[kalnel]

And Mette-Marit's health condition is not satisfactory either.

Everything happening after Harald's 87th birthday is very concerning (I don't believe in coincidences but just checked info and his father was 87 years old at the time of his death). I hope he'll return home safely.

I'm glad that Queen Sonja seems to be in good health, as both Harald and Haakon need her support right now.

I hope Queen Sonja is doing well -- she's turning 87 this year, too. Standing by as your spouse has surgery far from home must be very stressful.

 

[Hans-Rickard]

New press statement from the Norwegian Royal Court

” His Majesty The King will soon be on his way to Langkawi Airport for medical transportation. Her Majesty The Queen will accompany His Majesty.
Upon arrival in Norway, His Majesty will be admitted to the hospital Rikshospitalet.
His Majesty will be on sick leave for two weeks. During this period, His Royal Highness The Crown Prince will act as regent and assume His Majesty The King's constitutional duties ”.

Medical transportation of His Majesty The King

His Majesty the King will soon be on his way to Langkawi Airport for medical transportation. Her Majesty The Queen will accompany His Majesty.

www.royalcourt.no

The medevac aircraft that will likely transport the King to Norway is seen being prepared for departure

Flyet som trolig henter kong Harald ser ut til å gjøres klart

Kong Harald og dronning Sonja er på veg hjem fra Langkawi i Malaysia. Når de kommer hjem, er kongen sykemeldt i to uker.

www.nrk.no

The aircraft has departed Langkawi Airport

Her letter Kongen - VGTV

This video is about VB 16:9 TRE GODE STIKKORD DATO

www.vg.no

 

[ofkingsandqueens]

New press statement from the Norwegian Royal Court

” His Majesty The King will soon be on his way to Langkawi Airport for medical transportation. Her Majesty The Queen will accompany His Majesty.
Upon arrival in Norway, His Majesty will be admitted to the hospital Rikshospitalet.
His Majesty will be on sick leave for two weeks. During this period, His Royal Highness The Crown Prince will act as regent and assume His Majesty The King's constitutional duties ”.

Medical transportation of His Majesty The King

His Majesty the King will soon be on his way to Langkawi Airport for medical transportation. Her Majesty The Queen will accompany His Majesty.

www.royalcourt.no

The medevac aircraft that will likely transport the King to Norway is seen being prepared for departure

Flyet som trolig henter kong Harald ser ut til å gjøres klart

Kong Harald og dronning Sonja er på veg hjem fra Langkawi i Malaysia. Når de kommer hjem, er kongen sykemeldt i to uker.

www.nrk.no

Giving a 2 week timeline is optimistic news I guess! It would be more worrisome if they gave something like a 2 month recovery period. This illness still sounds more serious than the previous one though, hope all is well.

 

[Somebody]

After the flight he still will go to hospital. That is probably a precaution after the long flight but it shows that he is not deemed sufficiently recuperated to further recover at home.

 

[Hans-Rickard]

Giving a 2 week timeline is optimistic news I guess! It would be more worrisome if they gave something like a 2 month recovery period. This illness still sounds more serious than the previous one though, hope all is well.

As he has recived a temporary pacemaker, it could be that he will recive a permanent one when he is back at the hospital in Oslo.

Norwegian heart surgeons interviewed by the norwegian media yesterday suggested that may be the case as it is a common consequence of a temporary pacemaker.

 

[Annine]

Norwegians really seem laid back - in every other country there would be sh*tstorm in the media for a head of state taking such an unnecessarily risk at his age and with his well documented health problems, going on holiday in Malaysia and produce this effort and cost to get him back.

Do you think so, if any monarch or president became sick whilst on vacation, and the PM said, well lets get him or her home it would be criticised? I dont think so. Always in certain quarters, but not in the general public. Yes it costs, but when do you think those royal families and presidents who has their own plane has spent 200.000 euros? By february? Every year. Its probably not many countries except the scandinavian countries where the head of state usually travel on regular schedueled planes.

There are some criticism of the costs, which was given by the court/military to the public, which would probably not have happened in all other countries, but now there is also criticism of the criticism of the cost

Selvsagt skal Kongen hentes hjem!

En trenger ikke være militant monarkist for å mene at medienes fokus på kostnaden av å hente kong Harald hjem fra sykehus i Malaysia er både respektløs og smålig.

www.minerva.no

Langer ut mot medienes kongedekning: - Smålig

Flere mener norske medier opptrer respektløst i dekningen av kong Haralds sykehusinnleggelse. - Viktig at media dekker alle sidene, mener pressetopp.

www.tv2.no

 

[Alison H]

Two weeks doesn't sound too worrying. Hopefully he will be fine.

 

[xenobia]

They are on their way. Short stop in Sharjah in about two hours.

Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map | Flightradar24

View flight SK7186 from Langkawi to Sharjah on Flightradar24

www.flightradar24.com

 

[hereditarytitles]

They are on their way. Short stop in Sharjah in about two hours.

Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map | Flightradar24

View flight SK7186 from Langkawi to Sharjah on Flightradar24

www.flightradar24.com

Thanks for sharing. Hopefully they will safely return to Norway tonight. I guess everything is prepared for the King in the hospital.

 

[tommy100]

Interesting to hear how there is now disquiet at the media's reporting of the cost of the flights to bring the King home, that certainly wouldn't be the case here in the UK at all where it would be considered "fair game".

I'm glad to see Harald is well enough to travel and hopefully all goes well with his treatment upon his return.