Royal family closes ranks as Mette-Marit's lung disease worsens
Princess Ingrid Alexandra has left her studies in Sydney and Crown Prince Haakon has cut short an official visit to Japan, as Crown Princess Mette-Marit's chronic lung condition deteriorates — all while her son awaits a verdict in a major criminal case.
June 3, 2026 | SOURCES
Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit. Photo: Dusan Reljin / The Royal Court
Crown Princess Mette-Marits lung disease worsens
Norway's royal family is drawing together around Crown Princess Mette-Marit, whose chronic lung disease has taken a turn for the worse. The 52-year-old has lived with pulmonary fibrosis — a condition in which lung tissue becomes scarred and stiff, making breathing progressively harder — since she first spoke publicly about it in 2018. In recent days her husband has said her health has declined, and the family's movements have shifted accordingly.
Crown Prince Haakon cut his official trip to Japan short by a day to return home to her. Speaking to Norwegian broadcaster VG, he said he was travelling back because the Crown Princess is unwell and that he wanted to be with her, apologizing to those he had been due to meet on the final day. Mette-Marit was seen using breathing assistance on the palace balcony during Norway's national day celebrations on 17 May, an image that underscored how much her condition has progressed.
Princess Ingrid Alexandra returns from Australia
Their eldest child, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 22, has been studying international relations and political economy at the University of Sydney since August 2025, pursuing a three-year bachelor's degree. Second in line to the throne and Norway's future queen, she was filmed by local media at Sydney Airport as she made her way home. According to her father, the princess is pausing her studies to be with her mother, but still intends to complete her degree in Australia.
Her departure comes against an unsettling backdrop. In late May, New South Wales police issued a personal violence order against a 63-year-old man from the Sydney suburb of Glebe, who Australian media report has been accused of stalking the princess. A suspicious letter had reportedly been sent to her student residence at St Andrew's College on campus and was intercepted by her security detail; its contents have not been disclosed.
The man appeared in person at Newtown Local Court on Wednesday morning local time, where a two-year restraining order against him was confirmed, running from 2 June 2026 to June 2028. The princess was not present, as she was already travelling home. Leaving the courthouse, the man became embroiled in a scuffle with a photographer; video from the scene reportedly showed photographers positioning themselves in front of him. He was then taken to a police station and is expected to face a charge over that confrontation, according to Norwegian broadcaster VG.
Speaking to reporters as he left, the man confirmed he had sent the princess a card, saying he had asked whether she would consider a friendship and insisting it was in no way threatening. He repeatedly denied being a stalker and declined to detail exactly what the card said, adding that he had met the princess at an event in Sydney.
Norway's Police Security Service (PST) has confirmed it is aware of the case and has put measures in place in cooperation with Australian authorities. Asked about the incident, Crown Prince Haakon said he had spoken with his daughter but preferred not to answer questions about security.
A family under pressure
The strain on the family is compounded by the criminal case against Mette-Marit's eldest son, Marius Borg Høiby, 29, whom she had before her 2001 marriage to Haakon. He holds no royal title or official role.
The household has weathered turbulence on more than one front this year. Mette-Marit also faced intense public scrutiny after the US Justice Department released files in late January — including email correspondence — documenting her past contact with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, whom she has said she first met in 2011 and remained in touch with into 2014. She has apologised and expressed deep regret, saying she was manipulated and deceived and showed poor judgment; she is not accused of any wrongdoing.
Høiby is charged with around 40 offences, including four rapes, domestic abuse against former partners, and a series of other counts. He denies the most serious allegations while acknowledging some of the lesser ones. He has been held in custody at Oslo Prison and sought to serve the remainder of that period under electronic monitoring — wearing an ankle tag — at a property on the royal estate at Skaugum, arguing that prison conditions were difficult and that poor air quality made visits from his mother hard. That request was rejected at every level: by Oslo District Court, by the Borgarting Court of Appeal, and finally by the Supreme Court's appeals committee, which dismissed his appeal. He therefore remains in Oslo Prison.
The verdict is scheduled to be handed down on Monday, 15 June 2026. Prosecutors have asked for seven years and seven months in prison; his defence has argued for one year and six months, covering only the offences he has admitted.
SOURCES
VG – Princess Ingrid Alexandra Has Left Australia, According to Australian Media
Marie Claire – Crown Prince Haakon Cuts Japan Trip Short amid Mette-Marit's Worsening Health
VG – Suspicious Letter Sent to Norwegian Princess in Australia, Man Charged with Stalking
VG – Charged with Stalking Ingrid Alexandra: Man Detained After Court Hearing
TV 2 – Man (63) Appeared in Court, Scuffle with Photographer Outside
Nettavisen – Man Suspected of Stalking Ingrid Alexandra: Scary Incident in Australia
Nettavisen – Marius Borg Høiby (29) Appealed to the Supreme Court – Ankle-Monitor Bid Rejected
VG – Høiby's Ankle-Monitor Appeal Rejected, Remains in Oslo Prison
CBS News (AP) – Norway's Crown Princess Says She Was 'Manipulated and Deceived' by Jeffrey Epstein
CNN (Reuters) – Norway's Crown Princess Says She Was 'Manipulated and Deceived' by Epstein