SO SAD: Palace issues Queen’s health update just hours before crucial ceremony
Queen Mette-Marit Pulls Out of Key Ceremony as Palace Issues Health Update Amid Fresh Royal Backlash
Queen Mette-Marit has been forced to miss one of Norway’s most important royal moments after suffering complications following her recent lung transplant, with the Palace confirming her absence just hours before King Haakon’s swearing-in ceremony.
The announcement came at an already difficult time for the Norwegian Royal Family, which is continuing with official duties following the death of King Harald V.
King Haakon is due to take his oath at the Storting on Tuesday as Norway’s new monarch, but Mette-Marit will not be beside him for the ceremony.
The Royal House confirmed that her absence is health-related rather than connected to the criticism surrounding her family in recent days.
According to the Palace, the Queen has experienced complications following her transplant.
“It is not uncommon for complications to occur after a lung transplant,” pulmonologist Are Holm at the National Hospital said.
“The Queen has had complications on some occasions since the operation, including today.”
Palace Confirms Last-Minute Change
Mette-Marit’s withdrawal means King Haakon will instead be joined by Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra.
Queen Sonja and Prince Sverre Magnus are also expected to attend the swearing-in from the Storting Hall.
The last-minute change comes only one day after renewed controversy surrounding Mette-Marit and her family.
Her 29-year-old son, Marius Borg Høiby, took part in a procession for the late King Harald, prompting an angry reaction from some royal watchers online.
The source article states that Høiby has been convicted on four counts of rape, a detail that intensified criticism over his presence at the royal event.
The appearance quickly became part of a wider debate about Mette-Marit’s new position as Queen.
Some social media users also revived discussion around her past connection to Jeffrey Epstein, with critics questioning whether she should hold such a prominent royal role.
One user wrote: “When will Norway have a revolt? Taxpayers are paying and indulging the Epstein queen with her rapist son.”
Another argued that she should have been stripped of her crown princess status “a long time ago,” while a third said they could not believe the Norwegian public had accepted her as Queen.
The remarks reflected the anger visible online, but the Palace made clear that the backlash was not the reason for her absence from Tuesday’s ceremony.
Health Takes Priority
Instead, the focus has shifted back to Mette-Marit’s recovery.
The Palace said complications can occur after a lung transplant, and her medical team confirmed that she has experienced them more than once since undergoing the procedure.
That update explains why she was unable to attend such a significant constitutional event despite the timing.
King Haakon will therefore move ahead with the ceremony without the Queen beside him, supported instead by other senior members of the Royal Family.
The moment carries additional emotional weight following King Harald’s death, with the family facing both mourning and a transition in leadership at the same time.
For Mette-Marit, however, the immediate priority is her health.
Her absence comes during a period of intense public scrutiny, but the official explanation is straightforward: complications from her recent transplant prevented her from taking part.
The ceremony will continue as planned, while further attention is likely to remain on both the new King’s first official steps and the Queen’s recovery.
