Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit visits the Ulleval Hospital, March 5, 2025, in Oslo, Norway. Rune Hellestad/Getty

Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit's chronic lung condition has worsened and her public duties may have to be adjusted on short notice in future, the palace said on Thursday. The 51-year-old wife of Crown Prince Haakon announced in October 2018 that she had been diagnosed with a rare form of pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable disease that causes scarring of the lungs and shortness of breath.

The condition has at times affected her royal duties, requiring her to lighten he
r load or cancel engagements.

"The Crown Princess has daily symptoms and ailments that affect her ability to perform her duties," the palace said in a health update.

"The Crown Princess needs more rest, and her daily condition changes more quickly than before. This means that changes to her official schedule may occur more frequently, and on shorter notice than previously," it said.

In September 2023 and October 2024, she was placed on sick leaves of several weeks, cancelling her public duties.

"When you get to be 50, you understand that life is not eternal," she told Norwegian daily DN in an interview published in August 2023 ahead of her 50th birthday.

Mette-Marit has been in the Norwegian headlines in recent months after her 28-year-old son — from a relationship prior to her marriage to the crown prince — was accused by several ex-girlfriends of assault, most recently in August 2024 when he admitted being under the influence of alcohol and cocaine.

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