Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway is continuing to battle health problems in the wake of new details concerning her friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, it has been revealed.
Mette-Marit, who is married to the future king, Crown Prince Haakon, has not made a public engagement since 28 January, when she visited Fredrikstad Library to mark its 100th anniversary.
Two days later, on 30 January, the US Department of Justice released three million further documents concerning Epstein. In the emails, the Crown Princess appeared to tell the late sex offender that he "tickle(s) my brain" and discussed "wife hunting".
However, a spokesperson for the Royal House has confirmed that her health problems are continuing to play a role in her absence, as the Crown Princess still has no upcoming official engagements in the royal calendar.
Palace communications manager Guri Varpe told Norwegian outlet TV2: "As is known, the Crown Princess has the chronic disease pulmonary fibrosis. As we communicated in December, there has been a clear negative development in the Crown Princess's health recently, and preparations have begun with a view to an assessment for a lung transplant.
"The Crown Princess has an increasing need for tailored training, rest and recovery, and her official program is adapted to her health condition."
© Corbis via Getty ImagesMette-Marit was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018 and is set to undergo a lung transplant. Last year, it was reported that her condition had worsened and she took a month away from her duties in October to undergo pulmonary rehabilitation.
Crown Prince Haakon has continued engagements, despite his wife's illness. He visited Elcare Nordic in Kongsvinger on Monday, but did not answer when asked about the Crown Princess's health.
© Ragnar SingsaasThe trial of Mette-Marit's son, Marius Borg Hoiby, is currently underway at Oslo's District Court, where he faces 38 charges, including four counts of rape. He denies the most serious of the allegations against him, including those of sexual assault. Mette Marit and her husband were seen visiting him in jail back in February.
Royal health scares
It comes as King Harald and Queen Sonja have finally returned to Norway after the monarch was taken ill during a holiday to Tenerife last month. During their stay in the Canary Islands, Harald, 89, was taken to hospital, where he was diagnosed with an infection and dehydration. The palace later said his condition was "good", that he had been "responding well" to treatment and had "recovered quickly".
© Rune Hellestad - Corbis/Getty ImagesThey landed back at Oslo's Gardermoen Airport on Monday.
King Harald has experienced ill-health in recent years. In February 2024, the monarch was hospitalised for an infection while on holiday in Malaysia, and received a temporary pacemaker at a hospital there. He was later flown back to Norway, where a permanent pacemaker was fitted.
