- Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has successfully undergone a lung transplant at an Oslo hospital, as confirmed by the country's royal house.
- The 52-year-old royal was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018, which is a progressive and incurable disease causing severe breathing difficulties.
- According to Are Holm, the head of Rikshospitalet’s pulmonary department, she will remain in hospital for “several weeks” to “adjust medications, manage any complications and conduct rehabilitation”, with Crown Prince Haakon adjusting his schedule to be with her.
- The transplant comes amid a challenging period for Mette-Marit, including her eldest son, Marius Borg Høiby, being sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of two counts of rape, which he denied, among other offences. His lawyers have said he will appeal convictions for rape and domestic abuse.
- Mette-Marit has also faced renewed scrutiny over her past connections with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, for which she apologised in February, later saying she was manipulated and deceived by Epstein in a television interview in March.
IN FULL
Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit undergoes successful lung transplant in Oslo