Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit has undergone a successful lung transplant after her health deteriorated significantly due to a rare form of pulmonary fibrosis, the royal palace announced.
The 52-year-old royal, who was diagnosed with the chronic lung disease several years ago, received the transplant at Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet and is expected to remain under medical care for several weeks.
In a statement released by the palace, lung specialist Are Holm said the procedure had gone according to plan.
“We are delighted that everything has progressed well so far. In accordance with standard practice for all recent transplant recipients, Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess will remain admitted to Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet for several weeks to come,” he said.
Pulmonary fibrosis causes scarring of the lungs and can lead to severe breathing difficulties. Doctors had revealed earlier this month that Mette-Marit had been placed on a transplant waiting list after her condition worsened markedly over the past six months.
Medical experts said a lung transplant is typically considered a last-resort treatment for patients who are expected to have less than two years to live without new lungs.
The palace also announced that Crown Prince Haakon, heir to the Norwegian throne, will scale back his official duties to spend more time with his wife during her recovery.
The health update comes amid a difficult period for Norway’s royal family. Just two days earlier, an Oslo court sentenced Marius Borg Høiby, the Crown Princess’s 29-year-old son from a previous relationship, to four years in prison after convicting him of two counts of rape and 32 other offences.
Høiby has denied the most serious allegations against him, while his legal team has indicated that an appeal will be filed.
The palace has not provided further details about the transplant but said the Crown Princess’s recovery is progressing well.
