From the Royal Palace to MetLife Stadium: Norwegian Royals Cheer on Norway

While Their Majesties King Harald and Queen Sonja, who celebrated her 89th birthday just two days ago, watched Norway’s dramatic 2–1 victory over Brazil from Mågerø, their private summer residence. 

Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit followed the match from the Royal Palace in Oslo. In a welcome sign of her recovery, The Crown Princess, who underwent a lung transplant on June 17, joined The Crown Prince as Norway secured a place in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus cheered on the national team in person at MetLife Stadium in the United States. The siblings had also supported Norway earlier in the tournament, including the 3–2 victory over Senegal.

Norwegian Royal Court Announces Crown Princess Mette-Marit's Lung Transplant

Crown Princess Mette-Marit has undergone a successful lung transplant at Rikshospitalet, the Norwegian Royal Court announced earlier today.

Providing an update on The Crown Princess's condition, Arnt Fiane, Head of the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Rikshospitalet, said: "The lung transplant has so far been successful."

The Crown Princess will remain hospitalized at Rikshospitalet for several weeks as she begins her recovery. The Norwegian Royal Court stated that this period of hospitalization is standard procedure following a lung transplant and will allow doctors to adjust medications, monitor for any complications, and begin rehabilitation.

As he has done in the period leading up to the operation, Crown Prince Haakon will continue to adjust his schedule in order to spend time with The Crown Princess and their family during her recovery.

The Royal Court has indicated that the next update regarding The Crown Princess's condition is expected upon her discharge from Rikshospitalet.

The news comes after a challenging period for The Crown Princess, who has been living with chronic pulmonary fibrosis since 2018. The condition, which affects the lungs and can progressively limit breathing capacity, has led to several adjustments to her official program in recent years.

Crown Princess Placed on Lung Transplant List as Doctors Provide Major Health Update

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.

King Harald Speaks to the Press as He Concludes Solo County Tour

King Harald, who turns 90 next year, concluded a solo county tour earlier today and spoke to the press. His Majesty had originally been scheduled to be joined by Queen Sonja, 88, until Her Majesty withdrew from the tour at the last minute following a visit to Oslo University Hospital, where it was revealed that she was battling heart failure and atrial fibrillation.

During the tour yesterday, Her Majesty was hospitalized at the University Hospital after it had initially been announced that she would recover at home. Speaking to the press earlier today, His Majesty confirmed that The Queen had since been discharged following her short stay and was in much better spirits.

His Majesty said, “She was a little depressed because she wasn’t allowed to go on the county tour and wasn’t able to do what she could before. But I think her mood is much better now. Now the medication and everything is more under control. As far as I understand, she is much better than she was when I left.”

The King also spoke about, among other matters, the declining health of The Crown Princess, 52, saying: “I think it’s very sad. And we’ve heard the doctors say that this was going to happen. But we believed and hoped that this would happen later, not now. But now it has suddenly become very relevant. So she is seriously ill, there’s no doubt about that.”

Queen Margrethe of Denmark Readmitted to Hospital Following CT Scan Findings

  

Just a week after her most recent admission for angina, Her Majesty Queen Margrethe of Denmark has been readmitted to Rigshospitalet following a CT scan that revealed a significant amount of blood in her hip after a previous fall. 

A press statement released by the Danish Royal Court stated that Her Majesty was doing well under the circumstances but would remain hospitalized for several days. 

 

Earlier today, while participating in the Royal Run, Queen Mary was asked about her mother-in-law. She responded that Her Majesty was in the best of hands following a procedure that had gone as planned.

Royal Health Concerns in Norway

It was only earlier this month that The Norwegian Royal Court announced that Princess Astrid was suffering from heart failure. In a statement, the Palace confirmed that the Princess had been admitted to Rikshospitalet, where she was said to be in good hands and expected to remain for some time.

Earlier today, The Norwegian Royal Court announced that, following a visit to the National Hospital in Oslo, Her Majesty Queen Sonja had been diagnosed with heart failure and atrial fibrillation. The 88-year-old Queen will rest over the coming week and will therefore not participate in the upcoming county tour to Vestland. According to the Royal Household, Her Majesty remains in good spirits and will not be hospitalized, instead recovering at home.

Queen Sonja was first taken ill with heart fibrillation while out skiing at Lillehammer in January 2025 and was subsequently fitted with a pacemaker. Last Monday she bowed out of an audience and a lunch with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India after experiencing heart fibrillation. 

Scandinavian Royal Women Face Ongoing Heart Health Concerns

Last week, it was reported that Princess Astrid of Norway, 94, had been admitted to Rikshospitalet in Oslo. It was later announced by the Norwegian Royal Court that the Princess was battling heart failure and would remain hospitalized for some time, though she was said to be in good hands. Earlier this year, Princess Astrid was also hospitalized with pneumonia.

Just days later, the Danish Royal Court announced that Queen Margrethe, 86, had been admitted to Rigshospitalet following a case of angina. Following her hospitalization, Her Majesty underwent a balloon angioplasty of the coronary artery and has remained in hospital since Thursday, where she is said to be doing “well.” Queen Margrethe was also hospitalized last year after coming down with a cold, and the year prior following a fall.

Earlier today, it was announced that Queen Sonja, 88, was experiencing heart fibrillation, forcing her to cancel the welcome ceremony for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Her Majesty previously had a pacemaker implanted in January 2025 to help manage the condition after episodes during ski trips. Earlier last year, she was also airlifted to the National Hospital in Oslo after experiencing shortness of breath while on holiday with King Harald in the remote Sikkilsdalen valley.