Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit Undergoes Successful Lung Transplant in Oslo Hospital
Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit has undergone a successful lung transplant in Oslo, the royal household confirmed. The 52-year-old princess, who was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018, had experienced a significant worsening of her condition in recent months, necessitating her placement on a transplant list 12 days prior to the operation.
Are Holm, a lung specialist involved in her care, stated that Mette-Marit will remain hospitalised for several weeks under observation, which is standard practice for transplant recipients. Prince Haakon is adjusting his official schedule to support his wife.
The transplant follows a challenging period for the royal family. Two days prior, Mette-Marit's son, Marius Borg Høiby, 29, received a four-year prison sentence after being convicted of two counts of rape. Høiby, who is not a royal figure, had his legal team unsuccessfully petition for his release before the verdict to allow him time with his mother due to her declining health. He intends to appeal the sentence.
Historian and royal commentator Ole-Jørgen Schulsrud-Hansen described the transplant as "very happy news for the Norwegian royal family and the Kingdom of Norway," highlighting the relief concerning this significant health obstacle.
Mette-Marit's illness had led her to reduce public commitments. Her doctors had previously indicated that patients placed on the transplant list are generally believed to have approximately a year to live without the procedure. Holm emphasised that the post-transplant recovery is critical, requiring lifelong immunosuppressive medication. He noted that one in eight lung transplant recipients do not survive the first year, with approximately half alive after a decade.
Earlier this year, the Norwegian royals faced scrutiny following the release of documents detailing Mette-Marit's contacts with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein over a three-year period. She later apologised for her "poor judgement" in a national television interview, expressing regret over ever meeting him.
