Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has been placed on a waiting list for a lung transplant as she battles a life-threatening chronic lung disease, according to an announcement from the Norwegian royal household. The 52-year-old princess, diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018, will be unable to fulfill her royal duties during this time.

Impact on Royal Duties

The palace’s statement highlighted the severity of the princess’s condition, which has necessitated her placement on the transplant list. Are Holm, a consultant lung specialist at Oslo’s Rikshospitalet, confirmed the seriousness of her lung disease and the need for a suitable donor. As she awaits a transplant, Princess Mette-Marit will not participate in official engagements.

This development also affects her husband, Crown Prince Haakon, who returned early from an official visit to Japan. The couple has postponed their silver wedding anniversary celebrations scheduled for August, and the princess will not partake in a planned tour of Norway in September. The Crown Prince will adjust his schedule to spend more time with his wife, limiting his travel commitments both domestically and internationally.

Family Adjustments

The couple’s daughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, has returned from Australia, where she was studying, to spend the autumn semester at the University of Oslo. Meanwhile, her brother, Prince Sverre Magnus, is set to begin his studies in Europe but will return to Norway as needed.

Princess Mette-Marit, who became a member of the royal family after marrying Crown Prince Haakon in 2001, has faced public scrutiny recently. Her older son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Høiby, is currently on trial for rape. Additionally, the release of the Epstein files revealed her past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, adding to the family’s recent challenges.

Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.