Crown Princess Mette-Marit's condition worsens.

Dusan Reljin / Det kongelige hoff

 The Norwegian Royal Family's Press Office has released an update on Crown Princess Mette-Marit's health.

"Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit's chronic disease, pulmonary fibrosis, has progressed.

The Crown Princess has daily symptoms and ailments that affect her ability to perform her duties. The Crown Princess needs more rest, and her daily routine changes more quickly than before. This means that changes to her official schedule may occur more frequently and at shorter notice than we are used to.

The Crown Princess has a strong desire to continue working, and therefore, we will organize her official program in the future in the best possible way so that her health and work can be combined."

On October 24, 2018, the palace announced that the Crown Princess was suffering from pulmonary fibrosis.  The disease has no cure.

Dusan Reljin / Det kongelige hoff

Here is the original release.

The Crown Princess's health status

Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit has been diagnosed with a chronic lung disease that may temporarily limit the performance of her official program.

The Crown Princess has undergone extensive health tests over time, and an unusual variant of fibrosis in the lungs has been detected, according to the Crown Princess's physician, Professor Kristian Bjøro at Rikshospitalet. It is not yet clear whether the lung disease is part of a more extensive autoimmune disease process or whether there are other causes underlying the lung changes.

- For a number of years, I have occasionally had health challenges, and now we know more about what these are based on. The condition means that my work capacity will vary. The Crown Prince and I have chosen to inform about this now, partly because there will be a need to plan periods without an official program in the future. According to the Crown Princess, this will be necessary in connection with treatment and when the disease is more active.

Professor Bjøro states that the lung changes have already been followed for several years and that the development of the disease during this period has been slow. Assessment and treatment are taking place at the National Hospital in Oslo and in collaboration with doctors abroad.

"The Crown Princess will have to undergo further investigation in the future and also treatment trials. In conditions such as the one the Crown Princess has, it is common for us to collaborate with environments abroad," says Bjøro.

He further states that the cause of the type of fibrosis the Crown Princess has been diagnosed with is not well known, but there is broad agreement that it is not related to environmental or lifestyle factors, as is the case with other more common types of pulmonary fibrosis.

The fact that the disease is detected at an early stage is favorable in terms of prognosis.

@Dusan Reljin / Det kongelige hoff

"Although such a diagnosis will, at times, place limitations on my life, I am happy that the disease was detected so early. My goal is to continue to work and participate in official programs as much as possible," says the Crown Princess.