Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has successfully undergone a lung transplant at a hospital in Oslo, the royal palace announced on Wednesday.
Details of the Transplant
The 52-year-old princess was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018, a progressive disease that damages and scars lung tissue, leading to serious breathing difficulties. There is currently no known cure for the condition.
Earlier this month, the royal household revealed that she had been placed on a transplant waiting list. On Wednesday, they issued a statement confirming that the procedure had taken place at Rikshospitalet in Oslo.
Dr. Are Holm, head of the hospital's pulmonary department, expressed optimism in the statement, saying, "We are very pleased that everything has gone well so far." He added that like all transplant recipients, she will remain hospitalized for "several weeks" to adjust medications, manage potential complications, and undergo rehabilitation.
Royal Family Support
Crown Prince Haakon, the heir to the throne, will adjust his schedule to be by his wife's side during her recovery. The royal house plans to provide the next update on her health upon her discharge.
Mette-Marit's health had deteriorated in recent months, coinciding with personal challenges. Her eldest son, Marius Borg Høiby, from a previous relationship, was sentenced to four years in prison on Monday for two counts of rape, which he denied, along with other offenses. His lawyers have announced an appeal against the rape and domestic abuse convictions. Høiby holds no royal titles or official duties, but his high-profile six-week trial cast a shadow over the royal family.
Separately, Mette-Marit faced renewed scrutiny over her past connections with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, raising questions about her judgment, though she has not been accused of any wrongdoing. She apologized in February for placing the royal family in a difficult position and, in a March television interview, stated that she was manipulated and deceived by Epstein and felt unsafe during a 2013 encounter at his Palm Beach, Florida mansion.
