Norwegian King Harald V’s health is improving but he’ll need a permanent pacemaker, palace says

By JAN M. OLSEN
Associated Press

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — The Norwegian royal palace says King Harald V’s health is improving but that he’ll need a permanent pacemaker after falling ill during a trip to Malaysia. The 87-year-old monarch was transferred to an Oslo university hospital on Monday for medical tests.  Harald returned to Norway aboard a medical airplane late Sunday, a day after he was implanted with a temporary pacemaker in the Southeast Asian country after suffering from an infection while on holiday at a resort island.  Harald has had frail health in recent years but has said he has no plans to abdicate. He will be on sick leave for two weeks during which Crown Prince Haakon will assume the monarch’s duties.