2 min readAs King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium began their State Visit to Norway, Princess Mette-Marit made a last-minute appearance to welcome them to the Royal Palace in Oslo. It’s her first official engagement in nearly two months, and comes just days after she sat for an interview addressing her past friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Joining her husband Crown Prince Haakon and her in-laws King Harald and Queen Sonja, the Crown Princess was present at the official greeting of the Belgium royal couple. Previously, it was announced she was missing the State Visit altogether due to her health issues; Palace communications head Guri Varpe told NRK that “The Crown Princess’s health has deteriorated, which is why she is not currently listed in the program for the state visit.”
The royals the Bird Room at the Royal Palace in Oslo, Norway.
The Norwegian Crown Princess has dealt with pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease, since 2018, and is preparing for a lung transplant. “I live with a serious illness, and it is what characterizes my everyday life now. It is what determines whether I can even stand in my role or not,” she said last week in an interview. “But I have great faith in the importance of the monarchy in Norway. And I have great faith that trust is one of the finest values of our society. And I really hope that over time this does not weaken trust in the institution. That would be very sad for me.”
Her husband, Prince Haakon—the heir to the Norwegian throne—has spoken in defense of Mette-Marit. “On the good days, everything feels easy,” he said last week. “But it’s during the difficult times, when you have to weather the storm, that a strong foundation matters most. This is our project; we’re in it together. And Mette is caring, wise, and very strong. That’s why I always want her on my team when challenges arise.”
Elsewhere in Oslo today, her son, Marius Borg Høiby—who was on trial for rape, assault, and other counts—lost an appeal to be discharged from prison. He will remain in prison until the verdict in June.
Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, celebrities, the royals, and a wide range of other topics. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram.