Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway’s health has declined amid her battles with a chronic lung condition, according to her husband.
Norway’s future king, Crown Prince Haakon confessed his concerns for his wife while visiting the University of Oslo in late-May.
“The Crown Princess is seriously ill and I think she has gotten a little worse lately, so I am worried about her health,” he said. “She uses oxygen in her everyday life and it helps a little but it is not a perfect solution.”
In 2018, the Crown Princess was diagnosed with chronic pulmonary fibrosis. Pulmonary fibrosis is a condition where scarring occurs in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe and transfer oxygen to the blood.
The Crown Princess was spotted using an oxygen tank in a public appearance on Norwegian Constitution Day alongside her son Prince Sverre Magnus and her husband on May 17, 2026.
Her eldest son Marius Borg Hoiby was not in attendance, presumably due to him awaiting the verdict of a criminal trial after he was charged with rape and assault. Earlier this year, the Norwegian family made headlines again when the Crown Princess’ past friendship with Jeffrey Epstein was revealed.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s life and role in the royal family is strongly determined by her health, as she noted in March 2026.
“I have great faith in the importance of the monarchy in Norway. And I have great faith that trust is one of the finest values of our society. And I really hope that over time this does not weaken trust in the institution. That would be very sad for me,” she said on NRK, Norway’s national broadcaster.
The 52-year-old underwent rehabilitation in October 2026, and therefore stepped away from performing her royal duties.
“Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit will undergo a month of pulmonary rehabilitation in Norway from the beginning of October,” the Royal House wrote at the time. “The Crown Princess will therefore not carry out official assignments in October, but some exceptions are planned, such as the dinner for the representatives of the Storting at the Royal Palace on October 23.”
Then in December, the Royal House said her medical team had begun assessing whether the princess needed a lung transplant. Her doctors insisted she would not be jumping the transplant wait-list merely because of her status in the royal family.
Princess Mette-Marit kept a low profile until late January, when she joined her husband, Crown Prince Haakon, at Oslo City Hall with 800 school students, all taking a stand against racism. Shortly after, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess visited Akershuskaia in Oslo to commemorate International Holocaust Day.
While attending an event at the Norwegian Folk Museum in 2025, the Crown Princess shared some insight into her battle. She revealed her condition had worsened in the previous year, which forced her to momentarily step away.
“I should have done it a long time ago, but now is the time,” she said, according to Hola! magazine. “So I’m going to do it, because I need a little more help than before to cope with daily life with pulmonary fibrosis.”
The 52-year-old was interested in meeting other people who suffer from the same lung disease, “and having better control over how I’ll cope with my daily life with this chronic illness.”
In March, the Royal House of Norway confirmed her disease “progressed” and hinted that her royal duties would fluctuate accordingly.
“The Crown Princess has daily symptoms and ailments that affect her ability to perform her duties. The Crown Princess needs more rest, and her daily routine changes more quickly than before,” the statement read.
“The Crown Princess has a strong desire to continue working, and therefore, we will organise her official program in the future in the best possible way so that her health and work can be combined.”
