Norway's Crown Princess Mette‑Marit Receives Successful Lung Transplant

Laureate Crown Princess Mette‑Marit underwent a lung transplant in Oslo after a long battle with a rare form of pulmonary fibrosis. The operation—carried out by specialist Are Holm—was reported as a success by the palace, with the princess expected to remain in the hospital for several weeks for observation.

Mette‑Marit’s condition first deteriorated in 2018, when she was diagnosed with the disease. Over the past months the disease’s progression accelerated, forcing a reduction of her public duties. The transplant, which took place just two days after her son, 29‑year‑old Marius Borg Høiby, was sentenced to four years in prison for rape, marks a hopeful moment for the royal family.

Holm explained that post‑transplant patients require ongoing immunosuppressive medication and that the recovery period is delicate. He noted that about 12.5% of recipients do not survive the first year, but roughly half live beyond ten years.

The palace indicated that Prince Haakon would adjust his official schedule to support his mother. Historian Ole‑Jørgen Schulsrud‑Hansen described the transplant as “very happy news” for the Norwegian Crown Family and the Kingdom, noting that it was a significant breakthrough following other recent controversies, including a 2021 revelation of Mette‑Marit’s past contact with Jeffrey Epstein and her subsequent apology to the monarchs.

Mette‑Marit was last seen publicly on 17 May 2023 with a nasal oxygen tube. In a statement released after the operation, the palace thanked the medical team for their work and highlighted that the procedure happened after she was placed on the transplant waiting list twelve days earlier—a list typically reserved for patients with a limited expected lifespan.

For further context: Marius Borg Høiby was recently convicted of two counts of rape. The legal team attempted to have him released so he could spend time with his mother during her treatment, but the request was denied. Read more about the sentencing.

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