Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit has been seen for the first time since undergoing a life-saving lung transplant in early June, as the Royal Family shared images of her cheering on Norway's World Cup victory from home.
The Norwegian Royal Family's social media page posted a series of photos of the 52-year-old princess sitting alongside her husband, Crown Prince Haakon, in their official residence in Oslo, watching Norway secure a 2-1 victory over Brazil to advance to the quarter-finals. Norway will now face England in the semi-finals on Saturday night.
First public appearance since surgery
In the photos, Mette-Marit wore a grey cardigan, jeans, and a red Norway scarf. She was not seen wearing an oxygen mask, which she had used in recent months to assist with breathing. Another image showed the couple looking out a window as Oslo's streets erupted in celebration.
The Crown Princess was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018 and had reduced her royal engagements as her condition worsened. In early June, the palace announced she was placed on an urgent lung transplant list after her illness took a serious turn.
Successful transplant and recovery
A statement from Norway's Royal Family said: "Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit has undergone a successful lung transplant at Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet in Oslo. The Crown Prince and the Crown Princess express their sincere gratitude for the many warm and kind messages they have received. This means a great deal to them at this challenging time."
In late June, Queen Sonja, Mette-Marit's mother-in-law, spoke about her recovery during an engagement in Kristiansand. She told local media: "It's simply fantastic. It's fantastic that it went so well."
Royal family support
While the Crown Prince and Princess watched from home, their children Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus travelled to New Jersey to watch the match from the stadium stands. They later visited the Norway locker room to congratulate the team.
Princess Ingrid Alexandra had returned to Norway from studying at the University of Sydney in late May after her mother's health worsened. Crown Prince Haakon told reporters: "She plans to come home soon. It has to do with the family situation. She wants to be with her mother." He added that she intends to complete her studies in Australia, but how long she stays home remains to be seen.
