Norway's Crown Princess Faces Potential Lung Transplant Amid Health Struggles

Fri Dec 19 2025 23:47:19 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway is facing the likelihood of a lung transplant as her health worsens due to pulmonary fibrosis, raising concerns about her ability to continue royal duties.

The palace has disclosed that Crown Princess Mette-Marit may require a lung transplant as her health has deteriorated. Diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis since 2018, the princess faces increasing difficulties due to the progressive nature of her illness. Medical evaluations indicate a need for potential transplant preparations, and while she continues to express a desire to fulfill her royal responsibilities, her condition necessitates adjustments to her activities.

Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit will likely need a lung transplant as her health has worsened in recent months, the country's royal household has said.

The princess, 52, was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018. The degenerative disease creates scar tissue that stiffens the lungs making it difficult to breathe and for oxygen to enter the bloodstream.

Tests in autumn showed a clear worsening of her health, the palace said on Friday. We are reaching the point where a lung transplant will be necessary, Are Martin Holm, head of respiratory medicine at Oslo University Hospital, said.

Princess Mette-Marit told public broadcaster NRK that her illness had developed faster than I'd hoped.

No decision has been taken yet on whether she will be placed on the transplant waiting list, Dr Holm said. The palace stated her doctors had started the process towards an evaluation for lung transplant surgery.

In Norway, there are usually between 20 and 40 patients on the waiting list for a lung transplant, and Princess Mette-Marit will not be given preferential treatment if she is placed on the list, local media reports.

Although she is not yet on a donor list, Dr Holm said her healthcare team was undertaking the necessary preparations to ensure that [a transplant] will be possible when the time comes.

The palace mentioned the princess had an increasing need for rest and a targeted exercise regimen. However, she had expressed a strong interest in continuing to carry out her duties, and her engagements will be adapted to her ongoing health issues.

Holm described pulmonary fibrosis as a dangerous disease that often cannot be seen, as it depends on an individual's level of sickness. At rest, individuals may breathe normally, but exertion can lead to difficulty.

Her husband, Prince Haakon, remarked on the changes in her health, noting that activities they once enjoyed, such as hiking or skiing, are no longer feasible.

The prospect of the transplant is daunting for Mette-Marit, who recognizes the risks involved. A successful transplant hinges on several factors, including finding the right organ match and managing potential rejection.

Recent news of the princess' health comes amidst troubling family matters, as her eldest son faces serious criminal accusations.