Tag Archives: Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway

Norwegian Royals, Royal Family of Norway

Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway Placed on Lung Transplant Waiting List, Palace Confirms

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Portrait courtesy of Det Kongelige Hoff

In Oslo, the Royal Household of Norway has announced that Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has been placed on the national waiting list for a lung transplant following the progression of her chronic pulmonary fibrosis.

According to the Royal Household, the decision was made after extensive medical examinations and a comprehensive assessment of the Crown Princess’s condition. In a statement issued on behalf of Rikshospitalet, Chief Physician and pulmonary specialist Dr. Are Martin Holm described the development of the Crown Princess’s illness as “serious” and confirmed that she has now been placed on the list of patients who will undergo lung transplantation as soon as possible.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit was diagnosed with chronic pulmonary fibrosis in 2018. The progressive lung disease causes scarring of lung tissue and can significantly impair respiratory function over time.

In December 2025, the Royal Household announced that the Crown Princess’s condition had worsened and confirmed that preparations were underway for the possibility of a future lung transplant. At the time, no decision had been made regarding placement on the transplant waiting list.

The Royal Household stated that, pending the operation, it will not be possible for the Crown Princess to carry out official duties or maintain her normal program of engagements. The Crown Princess’s health condition will also have implications for the activities and official program of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and the Crown Prince Family.

As a consequence, the Crown Prince Couple have postponed the celebrations marking their silver wedding anniversary, which had been scheduled to take place in August 2026. Crown Princess Mette-Marit will also not participate in the county tour planned for September 2026.

The Royal Household further announced that Crown Prince Haakon will adjust his program in the coming months in order to spend more time with the Crown Princess before and after the operation. As part of those adjustments, the Crown Prince will not attend the celebration marking the 50th wedding anniversary of Their Majesties King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden in Stockholm on June 13th, 2026 as previously planned.

In order to be closer to her family during this period, Her Royal Highness Princess Ingrid Alexandra has returned to Norway. She will undertake an exchange semester at the University of Oslo during the Fall term of 2026 rather than continuing her studies at the University of Sydney in Sydney, Australia. His Royal Highness Prince Sverre Magnus is expected to begin his studies in Europe this Fall and will return to Norway should circumstances require it.

Norwegian Royals, Royal Family of Norway

Crown Prince Haakon of Norway Shortens Japan Visit Due to Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s Deteriorating Health, Palace Confirms

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Portrait courtesy of Det Kongelige Hoff

In Oslo, the Royal Household of Norway has announced that His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway will shorten his forthcoming official visit to Japan due to the health condition of Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway.

According to the Royal Household, the Crown Prince will maintain his official program in Tokyo from June 1st through June 3rd, while the scheduled visit to the port city of Hachinohe on June 4th has been cancelled.

The Crown Prince had originally been scheduled to undertake an official visit to Japan from June 1st through June 4th.

In October 2018, the Royal Household of Norway announced that Crown Princess Mette-Marit had been diagnosed with chronic pulmonary fibrosis, a progressive lung disease characterized by scarring of lung tissue that can gradually impair respiratory function and breathing capacity.

Since November 2025, the number of official engagements carried out by the Crown Princess has been reduced significantly as a consequence of her health condition. 

Crown Princess Mette-Marit made a brief public appearance during Norway’s National Day celebrations on May 17th, 2026, and also attended a reception honoring Norwegian athletes who participated in the Milano Cortina Paralympic Games earlier this year.

Belgian Royals, Norwegian Royals, Royal Family of Belgium, Royal Family of Norway

Belgian State Visit to Norway Begins as Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway Makes Unscheduled Appearance

  • Photos courtesy of Det Kongelige Hoff/ Ole Berg-Rusten/NTB
  • Photos courtesy of Det Kongelige Hoff/ Ole Berg-Rusten/NTB

In Oslo, Their Majesties King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway hosted an incoming state visit from Their Majesties King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians at the Royal Palace, marking the first state visit between the two kingdoms in nearly three decades.

The visit, which includes engagements in Oslo and Stavanger, is centered on cooperation in energy, defense, and broader multilateral priorities. Norway remains a key energy supplier to Belgium, and both countries maintain close coordination as NATO allies.

Their Majesties the King and Queen of the Belgians were formally welcomed at the Royal Palace with full state honours, including the playing of national anthems, an inspection of the King’s Guard of Honor, and the presentation of official delegations.

Once inside the Royal Palace, Their Majesties held a private meeting, described by the Royal Court as a “tête-à-tête,” ahead of the exchange of gifts.

Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway appeared during the indoor program at the Royal Palace, joining Their Majesties King Harald V and Queen Sonja and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway for official photographs. Her attendance had not been listed in the official press release from the Royal Court of Norway.

The appearance comes days after an interview broadcast by NRK (Norsk rikskringkasting) that prompted widespread criticism in Norway, in which the Crown Princess addressed her past associations with Jeffrey Epstein.

Later in the day, Their Majesties the King and Queen of the Belgians, accompanied by the Crown Prince of Norway, laid a wreath at the National Monument at Akershus Fortress in tribute to those who lost their lives during the Second World War.

A state banquet hosted by Their Majesties the King and Queen of Norway is scheduled to take place at the Royal Palace this evening, bringing together members of the Belgian delegation and representatives of Norwegian public life.

Norwegian Royals

Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway Addresses Epstein Association in a New NRK Interview (VIDEO)

  • NRK Screenshot
  • NRK Screenshot

In an interview broadcast on NRK (Norsk Rikskringkasting), Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has publicly addressed her past association with Jeffrey Epstein for the first time, offering an account that acknowledges regret while raising broader questions regarding judgment and responsibility.

Speaking alongside His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon at their residence, Skaugum, the Crown Princess confirmed that she maintained a friendly relationship with Epstein between 2011 and 2014. She described him as “a friend of a friend,” explaining that the introduction came through trusted international contacts connected to her work.

The Crown Princess stated that she relied on those personal networks, as well as her own inclination to see the best in others, when choosing to remain in contact. This included a period following an incident at Epstein’s residence in Palm Beach that she described as having left her feeling unsafe.

However, correspondence later released by the United States Department of Justice and the House Oversight Committee presents a markedly different tone. The emails show exchanges that appear casual and, at times, flippant, a contrast that has drawn public scrutiny.

Among them is a message sent following the wedding of His Royal Highness Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg and Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy in October 2012, in which the Crown Princess described the event as “boring.” In the interview, she did not dispute the remark, instead acknowledging the difficulty of seeing such comments made public and the potential for them to cause offense.

Other messages include informal references to relationships and infidelity, which the Crown Princess characterized as “banter” and described in Norwegian as “sleivete,” or careless in tone. The nature of these exchanges, given the recipient, has contributed to ongoing criticism.

The Crown Princess stated that she ultimately severed contact after concluding that Epstein was “a bad person.” She further acknowledged that she should have exercised greater due diligence, including more thoroughly investigating his background, and expressed regret that she did not warn others.

While maintaining that she was unaware of the full extent of Epstein’s criminal activity at the time, she also recognized that her association may have conferred a degree of legitimacy upon him, a consequence she described as difficult to confront in retrospect.

The full NRK interview has been made available for those living outside of Norway:

Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway NRK full interview

Headlines

TRHs Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway Begin their Three-Day Official Visit to Sweden.

On Monday, May 2, 2022, Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway began their three-day official visit to Sweden. The purpose of the visit is to strengthen ties between the two Nordic countries as well as to focus on “…cooperation around green, knowledge-based solutions…” according to the Norwegian royal court.

The day began with the crown princely couples of Norway and Sweden participating in the seminar, Norway and Sweden: Stronger Together than Separately, held at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm. According to the Norwegian royal court, representatives from various Norwegian and Swedish businesses came together to exchange knowledge and make contacts. During the seminar, Crown Prince Haakon gave a speech stating:

“I would argue that Sweden and Norway are the world’s best neighbors. It is not just because we have the longest common national border in Europe. Nor is it just because our countries’ stories, even our families, are so closely intertwined. And it is not just because our economies are closely integrated and ownership interests flow seamlessly between our countries.

I think it’s first and foremost about us understanding each other. We share a strong community of values ​​and interests. We cooperate easily, and in general we agree on what a good society is.

In an international context, the Nordic countries are small markets separately, but overall the Nordic region is the world’s 12th largest economy. If we co-operate here in the Nordic region, we have an opportunity to take global leadership in developing world-leading knowledge environments and business. Our common future is knowledge-based, and we get the best knowledge and research through collaboration.

Sweden is in 2nd place out of 132 countries on the Global Innovation Index.

It is simply impressive. We have great respect for Sweden’s role as a world leader in innovation. Now you are probably wondering where Norway is in that index. We are not in first place, we are in 20th place.” 

Thereafter, the crown princely couple visited the Kulturhuset in Stockholm where they met with young people and children to talk about books. Kulturhuset also arranged an industry meeting in collaboration with NORLA: Norwegian Literature Abroad. The goal is to present more Norwegian authors to the Swedish market and at the same time bring more Swedish publications to Norway.  The crown princely couples also met with the publishers and listened to a panel discussion held on the theme, The Brave Youth Literature.

In the afternoon, Their Majesties King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden hosted a luncheon at Stockholm Slottet in honor of Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s official visit to Sweden. In attendance at the luncheon were Their Royal Highnesses Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden and Their Royal Highnesses Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia of Sweden.

Click here to watch videos as well as to view photos.

Click here to view photos.

Photos courtesy of the Norwegian royal court

Norwegian Royals

(VIDEO) HRH Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway Sends a Video Message During the Opening of the Kristiansand Internasjonale Barnefilmfestival.

On Tuesday, April 26, 2022, Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, as Patron, sent a video message during the opening of the Kristiansand Internasjonale Barnefilmfestival (Kristiansand International Children’s Film Festival).

According to the Norwegian royal court, the film festival is celebrating it’s 25th anniversary and it is Norway’s largest cultural events for children and young people:

“The program during this year’s festival includes 80 films from 23 different production countries. Both feature films, short films and documentaries are shown. In addition to film screenings, script competitions, seminars and workshops for the film industry are also arranged. The festival’s target group is mainly children aged 6-13, but it is also an important meeting place for everyone who works with the development, production and dissemination of films for children and young people in Norway.”

Norwegian Royals

HRH Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway Attends a Conference Organized by the Norsk Bibliotekforening.

Photo courtesy of the Norwegian Royal Court

On Thursday, March 24, 2022, Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway arrived at The Clarion Hotel: The Hub in Oslo to attend a conference organized by the Norsk Bibliotekforening.

The conference, held under the theme Les for Livet (Read for Life), consisted of a series of lectures, debates, and seminars on the library’s role in society, diversity, sustainability, digitalization, and knowledge dissemination.

According to the Norwegian royal court, during yesterday’s event, the four conference panelists discussed “…why we read less and how to encourage and motivate children and young people,in particular, to read more.”

Please click here to view photos.