Doctors at Norway’s national hospital (Rikshospitalet) think King Harald V was doing well enough after heart surgery last week that they released him on Monday. “The king is in good shape,” said the head of the 83-year-old monarch’s medical team, Dr Bjørn Bendz.
King Harald left the hospital Monday afternoon in one of the Royal Palace’s black Mercedes, sitting in the backseat. He’ll remain on sick leave through the end of the month after surgery to replace an artificial heart valve that had been surgically implanted in 2005.
The operation this time was much less invasive, using only local anesthetic and during which the monarch remained awake. His son, Crown Prince Haakon, also said the king was doing well and would continue recovering at home.
The crown prince, meanwhile, will continue to take over his father’s duties as regent until early November when the king is expected to be back at work.
newsinenglish.no staff
