Norway's King Harald, 89, cleared to leave hospital

Norway's 89-year-old King Harald V, who has been hospitalised in the Spanish Canary Islands with an infection, has been cleared to leave hospital, the palace announced Thursday.

Europe's oldest monarch was admitted to Hospital Universitario Hospiten Sur in Tenerife on Tuesday evening, suffering from an infection and dehydration.

He was on a private visit with his wife, Queen Sonja, 88, and celebrated his latest birthday on Saturday.

"His Majesty the King has responded well to treatment and made a rapid recovery," said a statement from the palace. "He is leaving the hospital today.

"The couple will continue their private stay on Tenerife. No decision has yet been made as to the date of their return," the statement added.

An earlier statement from the palace, citing the king's personal physician, said the king had suffered a skin infection on one of his legs.

Harald, who has been king since 1991, has suffered health problems in recent years that have forced him to scale back his official schedule. But he has always ruled out abdicating.

During a private trip to Malaysia two years ago, he picked up an infection and was taken to hospital before being flown home after having a pacemaker fitted.

Harald's health worries come as the Norwegian monarchy is confronting scandals.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who married Harald's son, Crown Prince Haakon, in 2001, appears multiple times in documents linked to Jeffrey Epstein, revealing an unsuspected closeness with the late American sex offender.

Mette-Marit's son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Hoiby, is on trial on 38 charges in Oslo, including four rapes and assaults. The 29-year-old, who is not a member of the royal family, denies the most serious charges.

The popularity of the Norwegian royal family has fallen to its lowest level, according to a poll published on Saturday by public broadcaster NRK.

Only 60 percent of the population supports the monarchy -- 10 percent less than the previous month. NRK said the support "has never been so low".

Harald, however, is a popular unifying figure, scoring 9.2 out of 10, the survey indicated.