Norway's Ailing Future Queen Gets a Lifeline

Norway's future queen is recovering in the hospital after a major operation the same week her son was sent to prison. The royal palace said Wednesday that Crown Princess Mette-Marit, 52, has undergone a successful lung transplant and will remain under care for several weeks, according to Oslo University Hospital. Crown Prince Haakon, heir to the Norwegian throne, will "adjust his schedule" to be with his wife in the meantime, per the AP. Mette-Marit was diagnosed in 2018 with pulmonary fibrosis, a progressive lung disease that sharply worsened this year, per Reuters; doctors said earlier this month she likely had about a year to live without new lungs.

The health crisis lands as Norway's royal family weathers a difficult stretch. On Monday, Mette-Marit's 29-year-old son from a prior relationship, Marius Borg Hoiby, was sentenced to four years in prison for rape and domestic violence following a widely covered trial. Separately, the crown princess has expressed regret for past ties to Jeffrey Epstein, whom she once called a friend. Those controversies have coincided with a dip in support for the monarchy, which hit a low of 60% in a February poll before ticking up slightly. The palace said the next formal update on Mette-Marit's condition will likely come when she is discharged, and noted that the couple has thanked the public for its messages of support.