The Norwegian royal palace has firmly denied reports that King Harald V was transported to hospital by ambulance, saying the 89-year-old monarch travelled to a planned medical check-up at Rikshospitalet in Oslo in his own car.
Tabloid outlets Se og Hør and Dagbladet published claims that the king had been driven to the hospital in an ambulance on Friday. Guri Varpe, the palace's communications chief, dismissed the speculation as unfounded, confirming the visit was routine. The royal household told SVT Nyheter the king had held an audience with the defence minister and attended a cabinet meeting at the palace earlier in the day.
The king has faced a series of health issues in recent years. He was hospitalised in Tenerife in February with an infection and dehydration, and in 2024 he fell ill during a trip to Malaysia and required a temporary pacemaker before being medically evacuated to Norway, where a permanent device was later implanted.