Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018 and is on the waiting list for a lung transplant

rown Princess Mette Marit‘s health has taken a turn for the worse, her husband has revealed.

The future Queen of Norway, 52, is “seriously ill” and “getting worse”, according to Crown Prince Haakon, who spoke to press after presenting the Abel Prize award in Oslo on Tuesday.

He said: “The Crown Princess is seriously ill, and I think she has gotten a bit worse lately. So I am worried about her health. She uses oxygen in her everyday life, and that helps a bit.

“And these six months have gone pretty well, I think. But there are different phases. So we just have to try to solve it as best we can.”

The Crown Princess was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018. In the autumn, the Palace revealed that her condition had worsened. She is currently on the waiting list for a lung transplant, but the Crown Prince isn’t sure when this will take place.

“It’s up to the doctors, it’s a medical question,” he said. “So they’re the ones who decide when it should happen, when it’s right. But I think she’s gotten a lot worse lately, unfortunately.”

When was Crown Princess Mette-Marit last seen in public?

Mette-Marit was last seen in public earlier this month for Norwegian Constitution Day and was seen at the royal residence Skaugum, near Oslo, on 17 May.

The special day celebrates the signing of the Norwegian constitution in 1814 and is marked with military parades, flags, music, food, and public celebrations.

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Crown Princess Mette-Marit was last seen for Norway’s Constitution Day

She was seen using oxygen and wearing a nasal breathing device, at one point perching on a stool with her husband and son, Sverre Magnus, 20, on either side of her.

Giving an update on her condition in the autumn, Martin Holm, Professor and Head of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Rikshospitalet University Hospital, said: “We are reaching the point where a lung transplant will be necessary, and we are undertaking the necessary preparations to ensure that this will be possible when the time comes.

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Crown Prince Haakon spoke to press on Tuesday (pictured)

“At present, no decision has been taken as to when the Crown Princess will be placed on the lung transplant waiting list.”

Pulmonary fibrosis is incurable and worsens over time. According to the NHS, the condition causes the lungs to become scarred, and breathing becomes increasingly difficult.

Difficult times

The Norwegian royal family has faced difficult times in recent months. The Crown Princess is currently awaiting the verdict on her son, Marius Borg Høiby’s rape trial, which took place in March. He was arrested in 2024, with 38 charges, including four counts of rape, against him. He denies the most serious allegations.

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Queen Sonja is taking time away from royal duties

Crown Princess Mette-Marit has also faced scrutiny over her friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, breaking her silence in March with a tearful interview.

Crown Prince Haakon also addressed Mette-Marit’s friendship with Epstein on Tuesday. “She has been keen to clarify her relationship and contact with Epstein. I think she did that in a good way in that interview,” he said.

Haakon’s parents, King Harald and Queen Sonja, are facing health battles of their own. Queen Sonja, 88, is currently taking a break from public engagements due to heart fibrillation, an unsteady heartbeat.