Norway's Crown Prince Haakon Suspends Duties as Princess Mette-Marit Awaits Lung Transplant

Princess Mette-Marit, Norway's heir‑apparent, is suffering from chronic pulmonary fibrosis and has been placed on a waiting list for a lung transplant. The deterioration of her health prompted Crown Prince Haakon to cancel all official engagements, including a scheduled appearance at a Council of State meeting, to stay by her side. Haakon attended the 25th‑anniversary ceremony of the Prince’s Fund alone; the charitable initiative, created on the couple’s wedding day, supports youth development projects in Norway and abroad. Earlier public appearances showed the princess frail and dependent on oxygen, heightening public concern. The royal family’s situation also affects their children: daughter Ingrid withdrew from a university program in Australia to study in Oslo, and son Marius Borg, currently incarcerated, has repeatedly requested temporary release to be with his mother. The royal household has confirmed Haakon’s decision to prioritize his wife's care over his duties.