In the same week that her son, Marius Borg Høiby, was convicted of two counts of rape, Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway underwent a successful lung transplant. Since then, we have recieved various updates about her recovery.
The most recent update came in July 2026 from her husband, Crown Prince Haakon.
“Fortunately, things are improving, thank you. But it’s only the beginning of a long road to recovery,” he told media in Krokstadelva in Drammen who were reporting on bushfires in the region.
In early July, the Royal House of Norway confirmed that Mette-Marit has been discharged from hospital. The Crown Princess released a statement after being discharged.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s statement
I am deeply grateful. First and foremost, I would like to thank everyone who make the choice to donate organs. Through organ donation, I have been given the gift of life. Words fail me as I try to express how profoundly grateful and humbled I am.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has stood by me throughout this long journey: my family, the doctors, surgeons, nurses, physiotherapists and other healthcare professionals, as well as all those who make an invaluable contribution to the Norwegian health service every day.
I would like to send a special greeting to my friends living with fibrosis. You have been extraordinary during one of the most demanding periods of my life. Living with fibrosis is not for the faint-hearted, and not a day goes by without me thinking about how strong you are.
I deeply appreciate the care and consideration I have received from so many people across Norway during my illness. It has given me strength when I needed it the most. Thank you so very much.
What is Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s condition?
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 Høiby, was not in attendance, presumably due to his 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 are 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 2025 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.
The palace confirmed that she was on the waiting list, but did not reveal she was undergoing a lung transplant ahead of the news of its success.
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.
As Mette-Marit wants to continue working, the palace stated that it “will organise her official program in the future in the best possible way so that her health and work can be combined.”
Princess Ingrid, next in line to the throne after her father, left Sydney, where she is attending university, to be with her mother during her illness.
In the palace’s latest statement, it confirmed that Mette-Marit will remain in recovery at Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet for “several weeks”.
“His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon will adjust his official program in order to support the Crown Princess during this period,” it continued. Another update will come when she is discharged.
The palace did not release an official statement following the conviction of Marius. Nor did it confirm if Princess Ingrid plans to return to her studies in Sydney.
Princess Ingrid and her brother, Prince Sverre Magnus, were spotted attending the Norway versus Senegal game at the FIFA World Cup in New Jersey, USA, days after the palace shared the news.
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