In the shadow of mourning and coronation: Queen of Norway hospitalized in serious condition
Following the death of the King at the age of 89, the wife of the heir to the throne was forced to miss the swearing-in ceremony due to severe complications from a recent lung transplant.
A medical drama in Norway on a historic day: Queen Mette-Marit was forced to miss today's swearing-in ceremony of her husband, King Haakon VIII, after suffering from medical complications following a lung transplant she underwent last June. The new King swore allegiance to the constitution in the Norwegian parliament following the death of his father, King Harald V, who passed away on Friday at the age of 89.
The attending physician at the National Hospital in Norway confirmed in an official statement that the 53-year-old Queen is suffering from complications and is required to remain under close medical supervision. The Queen has suffered for years from chronic pulmonary fibrosis, and her condition deteriorated significantly in recent months until she required a lung transplant as a last resort.
Following the Queen's absence, those who accompanied King Haakon VIII to the state ceremony at the parliament were his children, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus, alongside Queen Mother Sonja.
The event comes at a complex time for the Norwegian royal house. Queen Mette-Marit has faced sharp public criticism in recent years against the backdrop of her past ties with Jeffrey Epstein, and at the same time, the royal house made headlines following the criminal conviction of her son from a previous relationship. Despite his wife's absence, the new King arrived as planned at the parliament hall to swear allegiance to the constitution and officially begin his reign, a few days after people arrived at the royal palace to pay their final respects to his late father.
