The 51-year-old princess was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung condition that damages lung tissue, in 2018. She initially went on sick leave from her royal duties on October 23 to begin a new treatment regimen.
In their latest statement, the palace noted, “Due to the side effects of the medications the Crown Princess must take for her chronic lung disease, her sick leave has been extended, initially until November 5. Scheduled events during this time will be canceled or postponed.”
Mette-Marit last appeared publicly on October 21 when she and her husband, Crown Prince Haakon, attended the 25th anniversary of the Nordic countries’ joint embassy facility in Berlin.
This extended leave follows recent turmoil involving her son, Marius Borg Høiby, the stepson of Haakon. The 27-year-old admitted to assaulting his girlfriend after his arrest in August and was reportedly involved in a burglary at Mette-Marit and Haakon’s residence, Skaugum, following a party. He has since lost access to the property.
Police confirmed to Aftenposten that Marius has also lost his driving license, though it remains unclear when this occurred. The couple also has two other children, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 20, and Prince Sverre Magnus, 18.
King Harald V, Haakon’s father, hinted at the challenges faced by the Norwegian royal family in a recent speech to the Storting (Norwegian Parliament). The monarch, who has been on the throne since 1991, was hospitalized during a private holiday in Malaysia in February and subsequently fitted with a pacemaker after returning to Oslo.
In his address, King Harald expressed gratitude for the support shown to the family during this difficult year, stating, “The royal family is a team that works well together. And then we are a family—with the joys and challenges that we all know can come with it.” He added, “When those we care about are unwell, it hurts those around them. We do our best to take care of each other.”
