Norway's King Harald V Discharged After Skin Infection
King Harald V of Norway was discharged from a hospital in Spain's Canary Islands on Thursday after receiving treatment for a skin infection that led to his admission earlier in the week, according to a statement from the royal palace.
The 89-year-old monarch, Europe's oldest reigning sovereign, had been vacationing privately on the island of Tenerife with Queen Sonja when he fell ill. He was admitted to Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria on Tuesday evening, suffering from the infection on one of his legs as well as dehydration. Palace officials described his condition at the time as good under the circumstances. Harald's personal physician, Bjørn Bendz, traveled to Tenerife on Wednesday to oversee his care, and the king responded well to treatment, recovering quickly enough for release later Thursday.
Bendz is expected to remain on the island for a few more days to monitor Harald's progress. The palace indicated that the king and queen plan to continue their winter holiday, with no immediate decision on a return to Norway. Harald, who celebrated his 89th birthday last weekend, has been Norway's ceremonial head of state since succeeding his father in 1991.