The Norwegian royal court announced on Tuesday that the queen, who is 87 years old, was admitted to the University Hospital in Oslo due to breathing difficulties.

The radio station NRK reported that Sonja arrived at the hospital late on Monday evening.

The palace statement said that Sonja was picked up from the royal ski and hunting lodge about 300 kilometres north-west of Oslo.

The Norwegian royal family traditionally spends the Easter holidays there.

Queen Sonja, the wife of Norway’s Head of State King Harald V, had a pacemaker fitted in January.

Harald underwent the same procedure a year ago.

The Verdens Gang newspaper reported on Tuesday that Crown Prince Haakon will travel to Poland with the Norwegian foreign minister on Tuesday as planned, despite his mother’s illness.

A spokeswoman for the royal court had confirmed this to the newspaper.(dpa/NAN)