Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s health has become increasingly worse in recent months as she continues to struggle with pulmonary fibrosis, and Queen Sonja has now opened up about her daughter-in-law’s life-saving lung transplant. The royal house announced that the crown princess’s medical team had successfully completed the surgery on June 17, and Queen Sonja was asked to comment on the news while visiting the Norwegian city of Kristiansand.
Speaking to the Fædrelandsvennen newspaper, the queen gave a brief statement, stating, “It's simply fantastic. It's fantastic that it went so well.”
The crown princess was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis—a condition that causes scarring in the lungs and makes it difficult to breathe—in 2018. She is expected to remain hospitalized for the next few weeks as she recovers from the transplant, according to Are Holm, professor of medicine at University of Oslo and senior consultant and respiratory specialist at Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet.
“We are delighted that everything has progressed well so far,” Holm said in a statement. “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.”
Holm added that her long hospitalization is necessary “to adjust medication, manage any potential complications, and undertake rehabilitation.”
The procedure took place just 12 days after it was announced that Mette-Marit was on the list for a lung transplant. According to Norwegian broadcaster NRK, Holm “denied that she would receive 'royal special treatment' and go to the front of the queue.”
