The king back to work after sick leave

The king seemed in great spirits and had no problem humorously answering questions about his health to the press. Many have wondered how the King has fared after he fell ill in Malaysia in February.

– We are working on the matter, it is not that urgent. And it will get better, retorted the King, who believed that you wouldn’t notice much of a difference from before, even though he is now scaling back his assignments.

It was Kongsberg that had the honor of hosting the royal couple on their big birthday. It is today 400 years since the city was founded by Christian IV of Denmark and Norway.

Queen Sonja (86) is also on the trip, which includes, among other things, an event in the church and talks about the city’s history and position as a technology city.

A smiling royal couple in an obviously good mood were welcomed in the sunshine – with horn music and chirping birds in the background – by state administrator Valgerd Svarstad Haugland, a bun-clad mayor Line Spiten and police chief Ole Brederup Sæverud.

They were also presented with flowers by the twelve-year-olds Maya Honerud Rye and Louis Honerud, while provost Roar Tønnesen met the royal couple at the church door.

After the event in the church, the royal couple got into an autonomous, self-propelled bus with operator Jonny Haugen to be transported to the church office.

Many spectators had turned up in the fine weather to catch a glimpse of the royal couple on the anniversary of Kongsberg. One of them was Kirsten (73), born and raised in the city like thirteen generations before her.

She thought it was extra great to be visited by the royal couple on this anniversary day.

– It’s big, he’s superb. All credit to him. He is 87 years old. The rest of us had been retired a long time ago, she says.

King Harald has been on sick leave until a week and a half ago, after he was admitted to hospital with an infection during a private trip to Malaysia in February. There, the king was fitted with a temporary pacemaker, which was replaced with a permanent one at home in Norway.

Today’s visit to Kongsberg is, however, his first assignment outside the Castle after the illness.

During the king’s convalescence, it is his son, Crown Prince Haakon (50), who has acted as regent and looked after the king’s constitutional duties.

The Crown Prince has stated on several occasions that the King has been recovering from the illness he contracted in Malaysia in February.

A week and a half ago it also became clear that King Harald has chosen to scale back his traditionally hectic travel business.