Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has undergone a successful lung transplant, according to the royal household. The 52-year-old princess was diagnosed with a rare form of pulmonary fibrosis in 2018, which causes breathing difficulties. Her condition had worsened in recent months, prompting her doctors to place her on the transplant list 12 days ago. The transplant was a significant challenge due to the general rule for those placed on the list, which is that the patient is believed to have only a year to live.
The lung specialist, Are Holm, stated that the recovery period after the transplant would be extremely delicate, with transplant receivers needing to be on immunosuppressive medications for life. Approximately one in eight people who receive a donor lung do not make it through the first year, while about half are alive after ten years.
Prince Haakon, the husband of Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has adjusted his official schedule to support her during her recovery. The royal family has been going through a difficult year, with the recent sentencing of Mette-Marit's son, Marius Borg Høiby, to four years in prison for rape. The transplant is considered a positive development for the Norwegian royal family and the kingdom.