King Harald is gearing up to again carry out royal duties this week, after he and Queen Sonja returned from a winter holiday in the Canary Islands. It was interrupted by more health problems for the Norwegian monarch.
Norwegian media was on high alert after the 89-year-old king once again was admitted to hospital on Tenerife, suffering from a skin infection and dehydration. His personal physician also flew down from Oslo to assist, much like he did when the elderly monarch also became ill while on holiday in Malaysia two years ago.
This time his ailments weren’t as serious, and after landing back in Oslo Saturday night, the king was due to resume duties this week. He’ll be meeting with the top bureaucrat in the foreign ministry on Thursday, followed by several formal welcome ceremonies for new ambassadors from Congo, Andorra and Montenegro.
King Harald will also oversee the weekly Council of State with the government on Friday, and attend the annual Holmenkollen Ski Festival during the weekend. The royal couple’s holiday gave them a respite from ongoing drama in their family after it emerged that Crown Princess Mette-Marit carried on a three-year correspondence with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. She still hasn’t answered questions about it, six weeks after their relationship became known.
Her son Marius Borg Høiby’s trial continues, meanwhile, in Oslo, where he’s charged with violence, drug abuse and several rapes. Court officials confirmed on Tuesday that the 29-year-old Høiby won’t be released from jail. The court cited the serious nature of both the former and new charges against him, and the risk that he’ll carry out new offenses if released from police custody.
NewsinEnglish.no staff
