The Norwegian Royal Court has announced that Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit has been placed on the national waiting list for a lung transplant following a significant deterioration in her chronic lung disease.
The decision comes after extensive medical evaluations and a comprehensive assessment at Rikshospitalet. According to consultant pulmonologist Are Holm, lung transplantation has now been determined to be the necessary course of treatment.
"The Crown Princess's condition has deteriorated significantly," Holm said. "Following a comprehensive assessment at Rikshospitalet, lung transplantation has been determined to be the necessary course of treatment."
The announcement marks a serious development in the Crown Princess's long-standing battle with pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic and progressive disease that causes scarring of the lungs and gradually impairs breathing.
During a press conference earlier today, senior consultant and lung specialist Are Holm revealed that Crown Princess Mette-Marit's condition has worsened considerably over the past six months. He explained that substantial additional scarring has developed in her lungs and that recent lung function tests show a marked decline in just the last three months.
Holm described the situation as serious and potentially life-threatening.
He further explained that patients are generally placed on the lung transplant waiting list when their disease has progressed to the point that doctors believe they may have only about a year to live without a transplant. At the same time, candidates must remain healthy enough to undergo the procedure and have a reasonable chance of recovery afterward.
As The Crown Princess awaits a suitable donor, she will significantly reduce her official engagements. The changes will also affect the schedules and commitments of Crown Prince Haakon and the wider Crown Prince Family.
Among the most notable adjustments, The Crown Prince and Crown Princess have postponed celebrations planned for their 25th wedding anniversary in August 2026. The Crown Princess will also withdraw from the county tour scheduled for September.
In addition, Crown Prince Haakon will reduce both domestic and international travel commitments and will no longer attend the Swedish royal couple's golden wedding anniversary celebrations in Stockholm later this month.
The family's priorities are now firmly focused on supporting The Crown Princess through the challenging months ahead.
Princess Ingrid Alexandra has returned to Norway to be closer to her family and will continue her studies at the University of Oslo this autumn through an exchange arrangement with the University of Sydney. Meanwhile, Prince Sverre Magnus remains scheduled to begin his studies in Europe but will return to Norway whenever needed.
