OSLO, June 17: Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who suffers from a rare form of pulmonary fibrosis that causes breathing difficulties, has undergone a "successful" lung transplant, the palace said on Wednesday.
"We are delighted that everything has progressed well so far. In accordance with standard practice for all recent transplant recipients, Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess will remain admitted to Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet for several weeks to come," Are Holm, lung specialist at the hospital, said in the palace statement.
Mette-Marit, 52, was diagnosed with the illness, which causes scarring of the lungs, in 2018.
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Her condition had deteriorated significantly over the past six months and her doctors announced on June 5 that she had been placed on the waiting list for a lung transplant.
Doctors said the procedure was a last resort when a patient is believed to have less than two years to live without new lungs.
Crown Prince Haakon, who will one day succeed his father as king, will cut back his public engagements in order to spend time with his wife, the palace said.
The announcement of Mette-Marit's transplant came just two days after an Oslo court sentenced her 29-year-old son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Hoiby, to four years in prison for two counts of rape and 32 other offences.
Hoiby has denied the most serious charges, and his lawyers have said they will appeal.
