The future queen of Norway is to take a break from her university studies to be at home as her mother’s health worsens.
Princess Ingrid Alexandra, currently second in line to the Norwegian throne, is set to fly back to Oslo from Australia where she is currently at college.
Her father, Crown Prince Haakon, revealed the move as he spoke to reporters at the start of an important visit to Japan, a trip he has already said will be cut short because of his wife’s deteriorating condition.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit has pulmonary fibrosis and in recent weeks, she has taken a turn for the worse. Just a few days ago, Crown Prince Haakon said his wife was seriously unwell. Just 24 hours after that, his father confirmed the family’s concerns. King Harald told reporters that the Crown Princess was very ill.
Now, it’s been confirmed that Mette-Marit’s only daughter, Ingrid Alexandra, will take a break from her studies to be at home with her mother.
Speaking to reporters, Crown Prince Haakon said Princess Ingrid Alexandra ”plans to come home soon. It has to do with the family situation. She wants to be with her mother.”
Ingrid has been away from home for several months and marked Norway’s National Day in Australia. The celebrations, on May 17, were marked in Norway by Crown Princess Mette-Marit attending using an oxygen tube to help with her breathing.
It’s not known how long Princess Ingrid Alexandra will stay in Oslo but her father said ”she has plans to complete her studies in Australia…how long she will stay home, we will have to come back to that.”
His comments have further increased concern over the health of Crown Princess Mette-Marit who revealed she had been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018. The condition usually has a life expectancy of five to ten years after diagnosis. At the end of 2025, doctors said they would start considering the possibility of a lung transplant for the Crown Princess.
Her personal life has also been in the spotlight after she was mentioned in the papers linked to Jeffrey Epstein. Documents show that the Crown Princess once stayed at one of the homes of the convicted sex offender. An interview she gave about her relationship with Epstein was poorly received.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s elder son, born during a previous relationship, is also on trial. Marius Borg Hoiby is accused of a number of offences, including rape, which he denies.
Princess Ingrid Alexandra is the elder of the two children of the marriage of Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit. She is currently second in line to the throne of Norway and is set to reign in due course.
