Norway's King Harald turns 75 but not slowing down

By Lennart Simonsson Feb 18, 2012, 2:06 GMT

Oslo/Stockholm - Norway's King Harald has no plans to slow down despite soon turning 75 and says he enjoys performing his official duties.

'I hope to continue as long as my health allows because I enjoy working. It's great to be busy,' he said in a recent interview with Oslo daily Dagbladet.

Since ascending the throne in 1991 he has been on sick leave twice - in 2003 when he was treated for bladder cancer and two years later when he had heart surgery. But 'now I feel fine,' he told the daily.

In the interview the king said he felt 'lucky to be king of Norway.'

The king also underlined the role of his wife, Queen Sonja, whom he married in 1968, nine years after they first met. His father, King Olav, consulted the government and political parties and speakers of parliament before consenting to the marriage between the prince and a commoner.

'We complement each other well,' King Harald said of his wife.

Unlike when he turned 70, the king will be away on his birthday. A palace spokesman told dpa it was a private trip.

'I will be away,' the king told Dagbladet. 'I will not celebrate, and I won't be sailing. I am not too interested in celebrating birthdays anymore. Maybe that's natural?'

The queen turns 75 in July. A joint birthday celebration is planned for end of May, 'a better time of the year,' the king said.

However, the royals did attend the opening Wednesday (February 15) of an exhibition at the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design in Oslo.

The exhibition titled, Royal Journeys 1905-2005, was the government's official gift to the royals.

The king said the institution of the monarchy had played a role after the July 22 attacks in 2011 where 77 people were killed in a bomb attack in Oslo and a shooting at a youth camp.

'The role (of the monarchy) might have become more apparent for people, but it has remained the same: To be the glue in society, to try to keep the nation unified.'

Children often write to the king who said he reads their letters and looks at their drawings.

The monarch is also a keen sailor and enjoys hunting and fishing. His contributions as patron were honoured at the 2011 Norwegian Sports Gala.

The king said he at times is nervous when giving speeches but had gained some experience over the years.

When asked how close to real life a movie like The King's Speech was, the king had no doubts.

'It was fantastic,' he said. 'It was so good that we asked everyone at the Palace to see it. It is a very honest film.'