Norway's future queen, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has experienced a difficult year after her eldest son, Marius Borg Høiby, was faced with numerous sexual assault accusations. But the crown princess is also navigating a difficult path with her health, and her chronic lung condition has continued to worsen, according to a recent statement from the Norwegian royal household.
The 50-year-old princess, who was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018, is experiencing increased symptoms that are affecting her ability to fulfill all of her royal duties. Pulmonary fibrosis, a serious condition that causes scarring of the lung tissue, makes breathing progressively more difficult over time. The royal palace has confirmed that the Crown Princess now faces "daily symptoms and ailments" that require more flexibility in her schedule than ever before.
"Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit's chronic disease pulmonary fibrosis has progressed," the statement read. "The Crown Princess has daily symptoms and ailments that affect her ability to perform her duties. This means that changes to her official schedule may occur more frequently and at shorter notice than we are used to."
Despite these challenges, Mette-Marit remains determined to serve her country. "The Crown Princess has a strong desire to continue working, and therefore we will organize her official program in the future in the best possible way so that her health and work can be combined," the palace continued.
When her condition was first made public, Mette-Marit acknowledged that her "working capacity will vary" due to the unpredictable nature of the disease. She and Crown Prince Haakon made the decision to share her diagnosis with the Norwegian people to explain future absences that would be necessary for treatment.
The Crown Princess, who married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001, has long been admired for her candor about personal challenges. The mother of three—who did not come from an aristocratic background and is a former waitress—faced plenty of public scrutiny as she was a single mother when she met the future King.
However, the Norwegian public grew to admire Mette-Marit over the years. Ole-Jørgen Schulsrud-Hansen, a royal commentator for Norway's TV2, told Marie Claire last fall that even though her son's legal issues were making headlines, he did "not think that this will weaken the prospects of the crown princess as a future queen."
"The public seems to have a deal of sympathy for the crown princess at this time," the royal expert added.
