Crown Princess Mette-Marit has been placed on the lung transplant waiting list, the Royal House of Norway confirmed this week.
The 52-year-old, who has battled pulmonary fibrosis since her diagnosis in 2018, will undergo the procedure once a suitable donor organ becomes available.
Professor Are Holm, a respiratory specialist at Oslo University Hospital, explained the gravity of the situation at a press conference.
"The rule of thumb for who should be put on the list for lung transplantation is that the patient should be so sick with lung disease that we have reason to believe that the patient only has one year left to live," he stated.
The specialist described the progression of her condition as "dangerous" and confirmed that lung function tests revealed considerable deterioration over recent months.
The Crown Princess has suspended all official duties pending the transplant, with the Palace confirming she will be unable to work or carry out engagements as normal.
Her health concerns have forced the postponement of a significant milestone for the royal couple. Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Haakon, who wed in 2001, had planned to mark their silver wedding anniversary in August, but these celebrations have now been shelved.
A county visit scheduled for September has also been cancelled.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit has been placed on the lung transplant waiting list, the Royal House of Norway confirmed this week
| GETTYCrown Prince Haakon, 52, will significantly reduce his own commitments to remain at his wife's side during this period.
The heir to the Norwegian throne will limit both domestic and international travel before and after the operation, prioritising time with his ailing spouse.
The royal family is rallying around the Crown Princess during this difficult period.
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Professor Are Holm, a respiratory specialist at Oslo University Hospital, told press the Crown Princess could have just one year left to live
|REUTERS
The royal family is rallying around the Crown Princess during this difficult period
|REUTERS
Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 22, has interrupted her university studies in Australia to return home. She will spend the autumn semester of 2026 as an exchange student at the University of Oslo while continuing her degree from the University of Sydney.
Her younger brother, Prince Sverre Magnus, 20, intends to commence his studies in Europe this autumn and will travel back to Norway whenever circumstances demand.
Crown Prince Haakon has already withdrawn from a major international engagement. He will not attend the golden wedding anniversary celebrations for King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden in Stockholm on June 13, an event he had previously been expected to attend.
Mette-Marit has been battling the illness as files relating to Jeffrey Epstein were released that appeared to show the pair exchanging hundreds of emails between 2011 and 2014.
She is also believed to have stayed in his Florida house when he was not there in 2013.
Additionally, her son from another relationship, Marius Borg Høiby, is currently on trial for 40 offences, including four counts of rape, as well as domestic abuse, assault and drug charges.
He has requested release from custody due to his mother's condition.
Over the past half year, Mette-Marit's health has worsened markedly. In December, Mette-Marit spoke candidly to Norwegian broadcaster NRK about her deteriorating condition.
She acknowledged that her illness had advanced "faster than I'd hoped" and revealed that pursuits she once enjoyed with her husband, including hiking and skiing, were no longer feasible.
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