King Harald and Queen Sonja are due to miss this year's Nobel Peace Prize Banquet next month, with this being Harald's first absence since 2003.
Although the Norwegian monarch and his wife are missing the banquet, the pair are expected to attend the prize ceremony, which is held earlier in the day. It is expected that Crown Prince Haakon and wife Crown Princess Mette-Marit will feature at both events on 10 December 2024.
The King and other members of the royal family traditionally attend the service, which is hosted in their home country, with Harald only missing one event this century.
In 2003, the King was forced to drop out of the event due to an operation for bladder cancer. At the time of his operation, Harald was absent from his royal duties for four months.
© Rune HellestadBoth Haakon and Mette-Marit have missed the event on previous occasions. In 2013, Haakon was representing Norway at the funeral of Nelson Mandela and he also wasn't present in 2010.
Mette-Marit has previously dropped out of the ceremony due to periods of ill health and her own maternity leave in 2005, following the birth of her son Prince Sverre.
© Getty ImagesKing Harald had a health scare earlier in the year when the Norwegian monarch was hospitalised in Malaysia back in February. In a statement at the time, the royal court said: "His Majesty the King has fallen ill during his holiday in Malaysia and is hospitalised there with an infection. The king receives good care from both Malaysian and Norwegian medical personnel."
The 87-year-old was later transferred back to Norway where he underwent a surgery in order to have a permanent pacemaker fitted. The royal was discharged from hospital two days later, but remained on sick leave until 22 April 2024.
© CORNELIUS POPPEHe was hospitalised for infections in May and December last year and treated for a fever last August.
Despite his ill health, Harald has ruled out abdicating, like fellow Scandinavian royal Queen Margrethe. During a visit to Faktisk.np, a non-profit fact-checking website, in January, Harald stated: "I stand by what I have said all along. I have taken an oath to the Storting, [parliament] and it lasts for life."
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