Norway's King Harald on his way home from Malaysia

Norway's King Harald was discharged from a Malaysian hospital on Sunday and was flying home on a medical evacuation plane after receiving treatment for an infection and receiving a temporary pacemaker. Queen Sonja was travelling with the king, who would be checked into hospital upon his return to Norway, the royal household said in a statement. "The king will be on sick leave for two weeks," it said.

Norway's King Harald was discharged from a Malaysian hospital on Sunday and was flying home on a medical evacuation plane after receiving treatment for an infection and receiving a temporary pacemaker. The 87-year-old had been hospitalised while on a private trip in the resort island of Langkawi.

The plane, a SAS carrier refitted to transport patients, took off from Langkawi airport at 1:05 p.m. Malaysia time (0505 GMT). Queen Sonja was travelling with the king, who would be checked into hospital upon his return to Norway, the royal household said in a statement.

"The king will be on sick leave for two weeks," it said. "The crown prince will in that period be regent and take over the King's constitutional duties." The crown prince had already been presiding in his father's absence.

On Saturday, the royal household had said the king might fly home in a couple of days. It said the government had asked Norway's military to assist with the travel. King Harald, Norway's ceremonial head of state since 1991, is Europe's oldest living monarch. He has repeatedly been hospitalised with infections in recent years and has undergone heart surgery.

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