Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit (52) is currently recovering in an Oslo hospital from her lung transplant. While she focuses on her health, two of her children are following the World Cup in the USA: Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra (22) and Prince Sverre Magnus (20), the children of Crown Prince Haakon (52) and Mette-Marit, sat in the stands during the Norwegian team's match in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Tuesday night.
The two visibly supported the team around Erling Haaland in high spirits - and had every reason to celebrate. Norway won the match against Senegal after an intense game with a score of 3-2, celebrating their second victory of the tournament in their second group match after their opening success of 4-1 against Iraq. For the Norwegian team, the last preliminary round match against France is scheduled for June 26 after the match against Senegal.
Atmosphere in the Stadium and in Parliament
As before, Norwegian fans once again displayed their Viking-inspired 'oar' choreography in the second match. The enthusiasm was not limited to the stadium: On the instruction of the Speaker of Parliament, the fully occupied chamber of representatives in Oslo sent greetings to the players and joined together in the oar battle chant.
On Wednesday, the royal siblings will also visit a soccer school in Brooklyn. These are the first public appearances after Mette-Marit's lung transplant. In early June, Ingrid Alexandra returned home from Australia, where she studies, to support her mother. Crown Prince Haakon had repeatedly cancelled appointments to be with his wife.
Transplant After Long Illness
Last week, the 52-year-old received a new lung. 'The lung transplant has been successful so far,' the Norwegian court quoted surgeon Arnt Fiane from the University Hospital in Oslo. In early June, the court had spoken of a 'life-threatening' condition; at the same time, Mette-Marit was placed on the waiting list, and the operation followed a few days later.
The background is a years-long pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable disease in which scars form in the lung tissue and can cause shortness of breath. After the diagnosis in 2018, the Crown Princess was initially able to live largely normally, but in the past six months her condition deteriorated. On National Day in May, she still appeared in public with oxygen equipment before withdrawing.
The family is also burdened by the criminal trial against the Crown Princess's eldest son, Marius Borg Høiby (29). He was found guilty in mid-June of, among other things, a serious offense and must serve four years in prison. He is appealing the verdict. Attempts to be released from pretrial detention citing his mother's health condition were rejected by the responsible judge.
