Who Is Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway? All About the Royal on Sick Leave

Mar. 15, 2025

Crown Princess Mette-Marit visits U. Reist at Fabro Farm in Oslo, Norway on Sept. 25, 2024.Photo:Corbis/Corbis via Getty

Corbis/Corbis via Getty

Crown Princess Mette-Maritof Norway’s sick leave is continuing, inspiring a dive into the future Queen of Norway.

On Oct. 30, the Royal House of Norway announced that the Crown Princess' leave has been extended for another week.

“Due to side effects of the medicines the Crown Princess must take for her chronic lung disease, the sick leave has been extended, initially until 5 November,” the court said in astatement, translated into English. “Program entries in the period will be canceled or postponed.”

The update came one week after a spokesperson for the Norwegian Royal Court told PEOPLE that Crown Princess Mette-Marit wastemporarily postponingher royal duties due to the side effect of a medication she was taking for a chronic lung disease.

“H.K.H. The Crown Princess is on sick leave,” a palace spokesperson said on Oct. 23. “Due to side effects of the medication that Her Royal Highness is using for her chronic lung disease, she is on sick leave, initially for a week. Her official program during this period will be canceled or postponed.”

Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Haakon at a ceremony for the 25th anniversary of the Nordic Embassies in Berlin, Germany on Oct. 21, 2024.Florian Gaertner/Photothek via Getty

Florian Gaertner/Photothek via Getty

In 2018, the Royal House of Norway shared that the Crown Princess was diagnosed with achronic pulmonary diseaseof the lungs. Pulmonary fibrosis occurs when lung tissue becomes scarred, making it more difficult for the lungs to work properly, theMayo Clinicsaid. At the time, the court’s announcement acknowledged that the diagnosis “may limit the performance of her official program at times.”

King Harald, Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Haakon on the couple’s Aug. 25, 2001 wedding day.Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty

Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty

In a press conference with her fiancé days before their royal wedding, Mette-Marit condemned drugs and asked the public to move forward with her.

“My youth rebellion was much stronger than many others,” she said in 2001, theBBCreported at the time. “That resulted in me living quite a wild life.”

Crown Prince Haakon also emphasized that his parents, the King andQueen Sonja, supported their relationship.

“What we two found together was so strong that I could not let it go,” the Crown Prince said.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Haakon share a kiss at Oslo Cathedral on their Aug. 25, 2001 wedding day.UK Press/Getty

UK Press/Getty

The couple went on to welcome two children, daughterPrincess Ingrid Alexandra, now 20, who follows her father as second in the line of succession to the throne, and son Prince Sverre Magnus, now 18.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s son Marius, 27,doesn’t have a public role, but often joins his royal relatives for special events and festive occasions.

Rune Hellestad/Getty

Crown Princess Mette-Marit is a full-time working royal, and uses her platform to highlight a broad range of causes including literature, Norwegian youth, entrepreneurship, sustainability, mental health and global health, according to herroyal bio.

She is also passionate about social inclusion, youth leadership and environmental issues, serves as patron of the Norwegian Red Cross and endeavors to help young people at risk through The Crown Prince and Crown Princess’ Foundation, which she shares with her husband.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Haakon at the gala dinner celebrating the state visit from Finland at the Royal Palace in Oslo on Oct. 15, 2024.Heiko Junge/NTB

Heiko Junge/NTB

Mette-Marit’s bio lists her leisure interests as outdoor recreation, exercise, literature, film and theater. It adds that she and Crown Prince Haakon enjoy an active family life, “and spend a great deal of time with their children enjoying outdoor recreational activities, from skiing in the winter to sailing and hiking at other times of the year.”

Before the announcement about her health, Crown Princess Mette-Marit was most recently seen on Oct. 21, when she and her husband traveled to Germany for the 25th anniversary of the Nordic embassy complex. They joined fellow royals Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden, and King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark at a state dinner at Bellevue Palace in Berlin.

(From left) Prince Daniel of Sweden, Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, Björn Skulason, Icelandic President Halla Tomasdottir, Queen Mary of Denmark, King Frederik X, Elke Büdenbender, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Suzanne Innes-Stubb, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway and Crown Prince Haakon of Norway at a dinner for the heads of state of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Nordic Embassies at Bellevue Palace in Berlin, Germany on Ocy. 21, 2024.Gerald Matzka/Getty

Gerald Matzka/Getty

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In August, her son Marius wasreportedly arrestedin connection to an incident involving a woman in her 20s.

source: people.com