Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway undergoes lung transplant

The Crown Princess of Norway has undergone a lung transplant.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit, 52, was admitted to hospital in Oslo for the surgery which doctors say has been a success so far.

The Crown Princess has been ill with pulmonary fibrosis for several years and just a few weeks ago, medics said she was now in desperate need of a transplant with her life expectancy less than a year without it.

Norway’s royals announced the operation had taken place once it had been completed.

In a short statement, the court said the procedure had taken plan at the Rikshospitalet in Oslo.

Arnt Fiane, who is head of the Thoracic Surgery Unit at the hospital said ”The lung transplant has so far been successful.”

There is always a possibility that someone’s body will reject the new organ following transplantion but so far, the prognosis for Crown Princess Mette-Marit is good.

Are Holm, Head of the Pulmonary Department said ”Like all other newly transplanted patients, the Crown Princess will be admitted to Rikshospitalet for several weeks to come. This is a standard routine to adjust medications, handle any complications and engage in rehabilitation.”

The Crown Princess’ health has worsened considerably in the last months and on May 17, Norway’s National Day, she was seen using oxygen and had to sit during her appearances at events.

King Harald said his daughter in law’s health had deteriorated and Crown Prince Haakon spoke openly about his wife’s illness to reporters.

The couple’s daughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, returned home early from her studies in Australia and the royal court announced she would be an exchange student in Norway for the forseeable future so that she could be near to her mother.

Mette-Marit and Haakon also have a son together. Prince Sverre Magnus will be studying in Europe in the next academic year so he can be near to his mother.

The elder son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Marius Borg Hoiby, was sentenced to four years in prison earlier this week after being found guilty of two counts of rape. He is currently appealing that sentence.