Crown Princess Mette-Marit will be getting some extra support from family as her pulmonary fibrosis continues to worsen. On Friday, May 29, the Norwegian royal family announced that Crown Prince Haakon would be cutting his official visit to Japan short by one day due to his wife’s “health situation.” And on June 1, the future king told reporters that his daughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, will soon be leaving her university in Australia to be with her mother.
According to Norwegian media outlet NRK, the crown prince said in a press conference that Ingrid Alexandra “plans to come home soon, and it has to do with the family situation,” adding his daughter “wants to be with her mother.”
The princess, who is the heir to the Norwegian throne, is currently studying international relations and political economy at the University of Sydney. Haakon said that it’s unclear how long Ingrid Alexandra will be staying home in Norway, but she intends to complete her three-year bachelor’s degree in Australia.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018, and her husband recently told members of the media that she's relying on a nasal cannula to help breathe during daily activities. “The Crown Princess is seriously ill, and I think she has gotten a bit worse lately,” he said, per NRK.
Crown Prince Haakon's mother, Queen Sonja, is also facing her own health issues after the royal family announced she'd been hospitalized for heart failure last week.
As for his own trip, Haakon, who was originally due to visit Japan from June 1 through 4, will be leaving for Norway after his royal engagements on Wednesday. He told reporters he’s “going home because the Crown Princess is ill,” adding, “I apologize to everyone I was supposed to visit on the last day.”
“Being on the other side of the world while your wife is seriously ill at home is demanding,” Crown Prince Haakon said. “I think it's incredibly nice to be in Japan. But at the same time, it's a long way from home.”
The future King also briefly addressed the news that a 63-year-old man has been charged with stalking Princess Ingrid Alexandra in Sydney and sending her a suspicious letter. “I have spoken to Ingrid, but I don't really like answering questions about security,” he said.
