Norway's aging king discharged from the hospital

He went through a successful operation to replace a heart valve in October 2020 after being hospitalised with breathing difficulties.Haralds duties as Norways head of state are ceremonial, and he holds no political power.

Norway's King Harald V was discharged Wednesday from an Oslo hospital where he had received treatment with intravenous antibiotics for an infection.

"The king is on the road to recovery, but will take it easy for a few days," the Norwegian palace said in a brief statement. The 85-year-old monarch was hospitalised Monday at Rikshospitalet, which is part of the main hospital in Oslo.

The heir to the throne, Crown Prince Haakon, had stepped in and taken over his father's duties.

Harald, who has been seen using crutches in recent years, has been hospitalised several times in recent months, including for another infection in August. He went through a successful operation to replace a heart valve in October 2020 after being hospitalised with breathing difficulties.

Harald's duties as Norway's head of state are ceremonial, and he holds no political power. He ascended to the throne following the death of his father, King Olav, in 1991.