Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit cancels October engagements for lung rehabilitation amid son’s legal case

Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway will cancel the majority of her official engagements in October to undergo a month-long lung rehabilitation in Norway, her royal household said Friday. The update comes as her son, Marius Borg Hoiby, faces a criminal case in which he has been charged with multiple offences, including four counts of rape.

The palace said that while the Crown Princess will not perform official duties in October, some exceptions are planned, such as a dinner for members of parliament at the Royal Palace on Oct. 23. The Crown Princess is expected to resume her official work in November.

Mette-Marit has long lived with a chronic lung condition described as an unusual variant of pulmonary fibrosis, a disease that is incurable and can limit working capacity. The diagnosis was first made public in 2018, when she explained that the condition can cause periods without a full official programme. Doctors have monitored her condition for years, and palace statements have stressed that progression has been slow.

Pulmonary fibrosis causes scarring of the lungs and can result in shortness of breath, fatigue, cough and weight loss. The palace said early detection improves prognosis and that, while the disease will limit her life at times, she intends to continue working and participating in official programmes as much as possible. NHS guidance on IPF notes common symptoms including breathlessness, dry cough and fatigue.

The October update comes amid a difficult year for Mette-Marit and the wider royal family. In August, Hoiby was charged with 32 offences, including four counts of rape against different women, as well as assaults on former partners and other violent acts. He is the stepson of Crown Prince Haakon, and the charges were announced by public prosecutors.

Hoiby has also faced travel restrictions stemming from the investigation; his diplomatic passport was revoked in the months preceding the charges, though officials did not immediately specify when the passport was surrendered. Oslo police and state prosecutors have said the case will proceed to trial, with a six-week proceeding scheduled in January.

Medical professionals have emphasized that pulmonary fibrosis has no cure and must be managed over time. Treatments focus on slowing progression and relieving symptoms. The condition’s impact varies by patient; in Mette-Marit’s case, officials have stressed planning for periods when treatment or activity levels make public appearances challenging. The palace has said early discovery of her condition improves prognosis, and that she remains committed to public service when possible.

The royal household has not provided additional details beyond the October plan, and they cautioned that the schedule could be adjusted in response to medical guidance. For observers in Norway and global audiences alike, the convergence of the Crown Princess’s health needs with a high-profile criminal case involving her son underscores the broader public interest in how the monarchy navigates health, duty and family trials while maintaining constitutional duties.