OSLO — Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway turned 53 on Wednesday, observing an official flag day with a strictly private celebration as she continues recovering from a life-saving lung transplant. The Royal Court published a family photo featuring Mette-Marit with Crown Prince Haakon, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, and Prince Sverre Magnus, though the image was taken earlier in 2026 rather than this week.
The milestone follows a successful lung transplant at Oslo's National Hospital in June, performed after her chronic pulmonary fibrosis deteriorated dramatically. Physicians warned the surgery was critical, and Mette-Marit remains on immunosuppressive medication during a lengthy rehabilitation. She made her first outdoor public appearance since the transplant on Tuesday, visiting King Harald, who is hospitalized for hemolytic anemia.
The celebration comes amid broader strain on the monarchy. Mette-Marit's eldest son, Marius Borg Høiby, was sentenced to four years in prison in June for rape and assault, and is serving under electronic monitoring at the family estate. Polling shows 44% of Norwegians believe she should not become queen, while support for the monarchy itself has dropped 11 percentage points.