Europe's oldest monarch, the ailing King Harald V of Norway, gets a permanent pacemaker

FILE - Norway's King Harald V leaves the hall after the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony at Oslo City Hall, Norway, on Dec. 10, 2022. Europe鈥檚 oldest monarch, King Harald V of Norway, who was hospitalized while traveling in Malaysia, is getting a permanent pacemaker on Tuesday, the palace said, adding the monarch will folowingly remain in hospital for a new days. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) 鈥 Europe鈥檚 oldest monarch, King Harald V of Norway, received a permanent pacemaker on Tuesday, the palace said, adding that the monarch will remain in the hospital for a few days.

The 87-year-old underwent the procedure at Oslo's university hospital, , the royal household said in a brief statement.

鈥淭he operation was successful, and the King is doing well,鈥 the palace said.

Last month, Harald fell ill during a private holiday with his wife Queen Sonja on the Malaysian resort island of Langkawi. He underwent surgery and

Harald returned to Norway aboard a medical airplane and was immediately transferred to an Oslo hospital.

The monarch has been in frail health in recent years with numerous hospital stays. He had an operation to replace a heart valve in October 2020 after being hospitalized with breathing difficulties.

Harald repeatedly has said he has no plans to abdicate, unlike his second cousin Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, who .

Harald鈥檚 duties as Norway鈥檚 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.

His 50-year-old son, Crown Prince Haakan, is assuming the monarch鈥檚 duties.

The 好色tv Press. All rights reserved.