Arabic version: الأميرة ميت ماريت تتلقى زراعة رئة بنجاح

Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit has undergone a successful lung transplant in Oslo, the country’s royal household has said. The 52-year-old princess was diagnosed with a form of pulmonary fibrosis in 2018, and her condition had worsened significantly in recent months.

According to BBC News, lung specialist Are Holm expressed relief in a palace statement, noting that everything has progressed well so far. He indicated that Mette-Marit would remain hospitalized for “several weeks to come” for observation, which is standard for recent transplant recipients.

In light of her surgery, Prince Haakon will adjust his official schedule to provide support. The transplant occurred two days after Mette-Marit’s son, Marius Borg Høiby, was sentenced to four years in prison for multiple counts of rape. Høiby, who has denied the most serious charges, is appealing his sentence.

Historian and royal commentator Ole-Jørgen Schulsrud-Hansen described the transplant as “very happy news” for the royal family and the Kingdom of Norway, stating that it represents a significant step towards better health for the Crown Princess. Mette-Marit had been seen in public for the last time on 17 May, when she required a nasal tube connected to an oxygen device.

The lung transplant marks a challenging year for the Norwegian royals, following the revelation of Mette-Marit’s past friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, which she later described as a “poor judgement”. The recovery period post-transplant is expected to be delicate, with Holm highlighting the need for lifelong immunosuppressive medications for recipients.