Norway's crown princess condition worsens as she battles lung disease

Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit's chronic lung disease has worsened to the point where it’s affecting "her ability to perform her duties," the Royal House of Norway announced. 

Mette-Marit, 51, is suffering from pulmonary fibrosis, described by the Mayo Clinic as a condition that irreparably damages and scars the lungs, leading to shortness of breath. 

"The Crown Princess has daily symptoms and ailments that affect her ability to perform her duties," the Royal House of Norway said in a statement, noting her disease has "progressed." 

"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," it added. 

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"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," the Royal House of Norway also said. 

Mette-Marit was diagnosed with the disease in October 2018. 

"For a number of years, I have had health challenges on a regular basis, and now we know more about what is involved. The condition means that my working capacity will vary," she said at the time.  

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"The Crown Prince and I are choosing to make this public now partly because in future there will be a need to plan periods of time without an official program to accommodate treatment and when the disease is more active," she added. 

The Mayo Clinic said some people with pulmonary fibrosis "can stay stable for a long time, but the condition gets worse faster in others."  

"As it gets worse, people become more and more short of breath," it also said. "Medicines and therapies can sometimes help slow down the rate of fibrosis, ease symptoms and improve quality of life. For some people, a lung transplant might be an option."