The 87-year-old monarch fell ill during a vacation trip to Malaysia and was flown home in an ambulance plane. The arrangements surrounding Princess Märtha Louise's wedding to shaman Durek Verrett have received sharp criticism, and furthermore, there has been a lot of turmoil surrounding the crime-suspected "bonus grandchild" Marius Borg Høiby.
During a dinner at the Royal Palace in Oslo for the Norwegian parliamentarians on Thursday evening, King Harald commented on the tough time the royal house and family are going through in his speech, reports NRK.
We are grateful for all the warmth and consideration shown to us during this special and demanding year, from the moment I was flown home in an ambulance plane. Sometimes life is simply very difficult. It's something everyone can experience – including our family, said the king.
But the speech did not only contain seriousness. It sparked great amusement among the nearly 200 guests when the king began his speech with a single word: sarcophagus.
When the Norwegian state budget for 2025 was recently presented, it emerged that the government will allocate 20 million Norwegian kronor for a sarcophagus for the king and queen.
I thank the authorities for their consideration and hope that the stay will be pleasant. We will be lying there for a while, said the king.
