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KING HARALD

King Harald of Norway to undergo heart operation

King Harald V of Norway, 83, will undergo a new heart operation on Friday after weeks of respiratory problems unrelated to Covid-19.

Published: 8 October 2020 15:50 CEST
King Harald of Norway to undergo heart operation
King Harald. Photo: AFP

The operation, to be conducted under local anaesthetic, is to fix an artificial valve he received during a previous operation in 2005.

The palace said it was “not rare” to fix such valves, which are only expected to last 10 to 15 years.

Harald, a former Olympic yachtsman who has held the throne for 29 years, has refused to abdicate despite several years of ill-health, including an operation for bladder cancer in 2003.

He was also admitted to hospital for three days late last month due to respiratory problems.

“His Majesty the King has undergone regular checks and our last evaluation shows that this operation is necessary to improve the King's breathing,” his doctor Bjørn Bendz said in the palace's statement.

The monarch plays a largely symbolic role in Norwegian society, and Harald's son, 47-year-old prince Haakon, has taken over his functions during the recent period of illness.                              

READ ALSO: Norway's King Harald has sick leave extended

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WORKING IN SWEDEN

Swedish Royal Guards scrap ceremonial helmets over safety concerns

The King’s mounted Royal Guards will no longer be able to wear their iconic ceremonial helmets on parades, after the Swedish Work Environment Authority warned of serious safety concerns.

Published: 7 July 2023 13:53 CEST
Swedish Royal Guards scrap ceremonial helmets over safety concerns

“We take the safety of our employees extremely seriously and we are going to address this immediately,” colonel Stefan Nacksten, head of the Royal Guards, wrote in a statement. 

Employed by the Armed Forces, the Royal Guards are the King’s cavalry and infantry units and are a well-known sight at ceremonies in Sweden, including at the changing of the guard at the Royal Palace of Stockholm every day in summer – a popular spectacle for Stockholmers and tourists alike.

The helmets will no longer be used by Royal Guards on horseback from July 7th, as they do not conform to safety standards for riding helmets, although guards parading on foot will still be permitted to wear them.

They are part of the 1895 parade uniforms and were last modified in 2000. The Armed Forces will now create an entirely new helmet which looks the part, but is also safe for riding.

“We’re working on finding an alternative solution as quickly as possible which meets safety requirements and can also be used during parades,” Nacksten said.

“We’ve been working long-term with this issue but now that it has been assessed [by the Swedish Work Environment Authority] we need to take measures immediately,” he added.

“This is good, and now we’re working to make sure something good comes out of this and we can get a safe riding helmet for parades in place as soon as possible.”

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