Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit has revealed that she has been diagnosed with a chronic lung disease.
Princess Mette-Marit, who married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001, said in a statement on Wednesday that she had been diagnosed with an unusual form of fibrosis.
The condition causes a person’s lungs to become scarred, and makes breathing increasingly difficult.
The 45-year-old opened up about her struggle saying that she has been dealing with “health challenges on a regular basis” for years.
“For a number of years, I have had health challenges on a regular basis, and now we know more about what these are in,” the princess said in the royal statement. “The condition means that the working capacity will vary. The Crown Prince and I choose to inform about this now, partly because in the future there will be a need to plan periods without official program. In connection with treatment and when the disease is more active, this will be necessary.”
Norway’s future queen said she would probably have to restrict her royal duties at some points in the future.
The princess’ doctor, Professor Kristian Bjøro, did reveal that the mother of three’s condition has proven to be “at an early stage,” which is “favorable considering the prognosis.”
“The Crown Princess will have to undergo further investigation in the future and also treatment trials. In such conditions as the Crown Princess has, it is common for us to cooperate with environments abroad,” Bjøro said.
The fact the diagnosis was made at an early stage will give the princess a more positive prognosis, a palace statement said.
The crown princess, who has three children, met Norway’s future king at a music festival in the 1990s.
