Crown Princess Mette-Marit is set to undergo a lung transplant after a deterioration in her health, the Norwegian palace confirmed on Friday.
The royal, 52, was diagnosed with chronic pulmonary fibrosis in 2018, and since then she had had to place restrictions on the number of engagements she undertakes. In October, she took a month away from her duties to undergo a month of pulmonary rehabilitation.
But now the palace has confirmed that her condition has worsened, saying in a statement: "During the autumn, a number of tests have been carried out that show a clear worsening of the Crown Princess' health. The physicians at Rikshospitalet University Hospital have therefore started the process towards an evaluation for potential lung transplant surgery."
© Getty ImagesAre Martin Holm, Professor and Head of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Rikshospitalet University Hospital, said: "We are reaching the point where a lung transplant will be necessary, and we are undertaking the necessary preparations to ensure that this will be possible when the time comes. At present, no decision has been taken as to when the Crown Princess will be placed on the lung transplant waiting list."
Dr Holm is a specialist in internal medicine and pulmonary diseases.
© Corbis via Getty ImagesThe palace has added that Mette-Marit has expressed a strong interest in continuing to carry out her duties, but her programme will be organised to adapt her activities to her health situation to the greatest extent possible.
© Corbis via Getty ImagesThe princess, who has been married to future king, Crown Prince Haakon, since 2001, was last seen publicly on Wednesday as the couple and their children, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 21, and Prince Sverre Magnus, 18, visited the Langerudhjemmet nursing home in Oslo.
What has Mette-Marit said about her health condition?
When her diagnosis was first confirmed in 2018, the princess opened up about her condition, sharing: "For a number of years, I have had health challenges on a regular basis, and now we know more about what these are.
© Getty Images"Although such a diagnosis will limit my life at times, I'm glad that the disease has been discovered so early. My goal is still to work and participate in the official programme as much as possible."
After restricting her royal duties, she told TV network NRK in 2019: "I am exhausted faster than before, so today I have to take more care of myself than I did before."
What is pulmonary fibrosis?
According to the NHS: "Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a condition in which the lungs become scarred and breathing becomes increasingly difficult. It's not clear what causes it, but it usually affects people who are around 70 to 75 years old, and is rare in people under 50.
"Several treatments can help reduce the rate at which IPF gets worse, but there's currently no treatment that can stop or reverse the scarring of the lungs."
