Haakon cuts Japan visit short as Mette-Marit's pulmonary fibrosis worsens, capping bruising week for Norwegian court
The Norwegian Royal Court announced on May 29 that Crown Prince Haakon will shorten his official visit to Japan because of the worsening health of Crown Princess Mette-Marit.
At a glance
- The palace announced on May 29 that Haakon will shorten his June 1-4 official visit to Japan, cancelling the June 4 Hachinohe leg
- The Tokyo programme of June 1-3, covering security policy, technology, trade and ocean industries, goes ahead with two ministers and a business delegation
- Mette-Marit was diagnosed in 2018 with a rare progressive pulmonary fibrosis and has recently used oxygen equipment in public; a lung transplant may be required
- Haakon said her health 'had worsened recently' and that he was 'worried'
- Queen Sonja, 88, was discharged from hospital on May 28 after treatment for heart problems
VERDICT — CONFIRMED
The Norwegian Royal Court announced on May 29 that Crown Prince Haakon will shorten his official visit to Japan because of the worsening health of Crown Princess Mette-Marit. Haakon will keep the Tokyo leg of the programme from June 1 to 3 — built around security policy, technology, trade and ocean industries, with two cabinet ministers and a broad business delegation — but cancelled the planned June 4 stop in the northern port city of Hachinohe in order to return home early.
Mette-Marit, who was diagnosed in 2018 with a rare, progressive form of pulmonary fibrosis, has repeatedly been forced onto medical leave, has recently appeared in public with oxygen equipment, and, the palace indicated in December, may eventually require a lung transplant. Haakon said his wife's health 'had worsened recently' and that he was 'worried.' The announcement capped a punishing stretch for the Norwegian monarchy: Queen Sonja, 88, was hospitalized with heart problems and discharged on May 28, King Harald V faced questions over the family's past contact with Jeffrey Epstein, and Mette-Marit's son Marius Borg Høiby was awaiting a criminal verdict — days after the court confirmed Prince Sverre Magnus would join the working monarchy.
Why it matters
with the King aging, the Queen convalescing and the Crown Princess seriously ill, Norway's succession-critical household is running at the edge of its capacity, forcing structural changes to how the Bernadotte-descended Glücksburg line distributes royal duty.
Key facts on file
- The palace announced on May 29 that Haakon will shorten his June 1-4 official visit to Japan, cancelling the June 4 Hachinohe leg
- The Tokyo programme of June 1-3, covering security policy, technology, trade and ocean industries, goes ahead with two ministers and a business delegation
- Mette-Marit was diagnosed in 2018 with a rare progressive pulmonary fibrosis and has recently used oxygen equipment in public; a lung transplant may be required
- Haakon said her health 'had worsened recently' and that he was 'worried'
- Queen Sonja, 88, was discharged from hospital on May 28 after treatment for heart problems
