Queen Sonja of Norway, 87, had a bad weekend that ended up leaving the nation gasping and then groaning.
On Monday night, April 21, while holidaying with King Harald in the Scandinavian Alps, breathing troubles meant that she had to be taken by medical helicopter to Oslo University Hospital.
By Tuesday, doctors had given her a clean bill of health, discharging her to rest at home. The royal palace announced she’d skip her week’s engagements, and all seemed well. However, Verdens Gang (VG), Norway’s top news outlet, bungled the story. During a live broadcast, a rogue ticker declared, ‘Queen Sonja of Norway has passed away.’
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For a fleeting minute, Norway stopped in its tracks until the red-faced VG crew pulled the erroneous message. The nation’s most trusted outlet, founded in 1945 with the highest reputation for accurately reporting the news, had accidentally ‘killed’ the queen.
Anchor Tora Bakke Håndlykken, likely wishing for a trapdoor, issued a hurried apology. ‘This is a terribly unfortunate mistake, and we’re so sorry. We’ve apologised to the palace and our viewers.’ VG, read by over half of Norway, promised to overhaul its procedures to avoid another royal blunder. The palace, probably not knowing what to say, confirmed Sonja was very much alive and recovering at home.