Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit has been placed on a lung transplant waiting list, the royal palace announced Friday. The 51-year-old suffers from pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease diagnosed in 2018 that has progressively limited her ability to carry out official duties.
"The progression of the Crown Princess's lung disease is serious," said Professor Are Holm of Oslo University Hospital, in a palace statement.
While awaiting surgery, the Crown Princess will step back from all official duties. Crown Prince Haakon will also adjust his schedule, postponing foreign travel. The couple has delayed their 25th wedding anniversary celebration, originally set for August 2026.
Princess Ingrid Alexandra has interrupted her studies at the University of Sydney to remain in Oslo with her mother through the autumn.
Norway is part of Scandiatransplant, a Nordic organ-sharing network. Currently, 61 people are waiting for lung transplants across the six member countries. In Norway, about 30 lung transplants are performed annually, with an average wait time of six months. Organs are assigned based on medical urgency and compatibility, not chronological order.