The king will be on sick leave until April 8 to rest and recuperate, the court said in a statement.

The 87-year-old was hospitalised late last month for an infection while on holiday in Malaysia, and received a temporary pacemaker at a hospital there on March 2.

He was later transferred to Norway for further treatment and received a pacemaker implant on Tuesday in a scheduled operation to help compensate for a low heart rate.

Crown Prince Haakon has been carrying out his father's duties in the latter's absence.

(Reporting by Stine Jacobsen, editing by Louise Rasmussen)