The Norwegian Queen Consort, , is set to undergo surgery after briefly being admitted to hospital last weekend.

Queen Sonja was briefly admitted to Lillehammer Hospital in Norway last Saturday, after experiencing symptoms linked to her existing heart condition, atrial fibrillation, .

The Norwegian royal palace has now confirmed she will be fitted with a pacemaker on January 16.

Later today, Queen Sonja will be admitted to Rikshospitalet in Oslo ahead of the operation, and will remain in hospital for one or two days during recovery.

A pacemaker is a small electrical device which sends electrical pulses to your heart to keep it beating regularly and not too slowly.

The e states "having a pacemaker can significantly improve your quality of life if you have problems with a slow heart rate. The device can be lifesaving for some people".

In the UK, is one of the most common types of heart surgery carried out, with many thousands of pacemakers fitted each year.

According to recommendations, patients should avoid strenuous activities for around four to six weeks after the pacemaker is fitted.

Queen Sonja has largely enjoyed good health, keeping up her love for hiking well. Her husband King Harald, however,

In March 2024, King Harald received a pacemaker implant after being hospitalised for an infection while on holiday in Malaysia -

He was transferred to Norway afterwards, where the permanent device was implanted and the operation deemed "successful".

Meanwhile, King Harald attended the award ceremony for the Sønsteby prize on January 10 - awarded annually by the Gunnar Sønsteby Memorial Fund to "people who are courageous defenders of fundamental democratic values".

The couple, who wed in 1968, share two children - Crown Prince Haakon, 51, who is the heir to the Norwegian throne, and Princess Märtha Louise, 53.