Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway joined her husband, Crown Prince Haakon, for an engagement following an extended sick leave.
Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit hosted a dinner at their residence, Skaugum. The theme of the evening was youth mental health.
In addition to being joined by the Council for Mental Health, the royal couple was joined by 22 individuals ranging in age from 19 to 32 from all over Norway. Many of the guests shared their own experiences of mental health.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit gave a speech, sharing: ”You who are here today are experts on what works for you. Maybe what helps one can be an inspiration to another.”
The Crown Princess suffers from pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung condition where the lung tissue is scarred over time making it difficult to breathe.
On 23 October, the Royal House announced that she would be on sick leave due to side effects from medication and then extended the leave through 5 November.
The couple have been dealing with a family crisis over the last three months. The Crown Princess’s son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Høiby, is currently facing significant legal issues after being arrested in August on suspicion of assault.
Borg Høiby is reportedly not allowed at the main residence at Skaugum and is limited to a guest house. It has come to light that he had thrown parties at Haakon and Mette-Marit’s home and several items had been found missing afterwards.
