Concern has settled in Norway after learning of the delicate state of health of Crown Princess Mette-Marit. The Royal Family announced on June 5 that Prince Haakon’s wife has been officially included on the waiting list to receive a lung transplant, a measure reserved for patients whose disease has reached a particularly advanced stage.
The princess, 52 years old, has been living with chronic pulmonary fibrosis for years, an incurable disease that causes progressive scarring of lung tissue and makes breathing increasingly difficult. Although he publicly revealed his diagnosis in 2018, The deterioration experienced in recent months has significantly accelerated the evolution of the disease.
During an appearance at Oslo University Hospital, Professor Are Holm, one of the specialists supervising his treatment, explained that Mette-Marit’s condition has worsened significantly over the past six months. As detailed, medical tests show a considerable increase in scar tissue in the lungs and a marked decrease in respiratory function during recent months.
The specialist stressed that the criteria for accessing a lung transplant in Norway are especially demanding and that inclusion on the waiting list implies that the patient is in an extremely serious situation. In this sense, he pointed out that There are medical reasons to believe that, if the transplant is not received in time, the princess could have a life expectancy of approximately one year.
Doctors consider that the intervention currently represents the best alternative to prolong his life. However, the operation depends on the appearance of a compatible donor, a complex process in which factors such as blood group, organ size and immunological compatibility must coincide. Therefore, it is impossible to predict when the transplant could occur.
According to data from the Oslo University Hospital, between 30 and 35 lung transplants are performed in Norway per year. The princess has been included on the waiting list under the same criteria as the rest of the patients, without receiving preferential treatment due to their institutional condition.
The worsening of his health has also had direct repercussions on the agenda of the Norwegian royal family. Prince Haakon recently interrupted an official trip to Japan to return to his wife, while his daughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, has returned from Australia to accompany her during this especially delicate period. Likewise, the Royal House has decided to postpone the events planned for the 25th wedding anniversary of the crown princes and Mette-Marit has suspended all official engagements until further notice.
The images of the princess using supplemental oxygen in some of her last public events had already shown the advance of a disease that the Royal House itself has defined as “potentially fatal.” Now, All attention is focused on the arrival of a donor who will allow an intervention considered crucial for their survival to be carried out.
