Queen Mette-Marit of Norway missed the official investiture ceremony of her husband King Haakon VIII on Tuesday due to medical complications following a lung transplant.
The 53-year-old Norwegian queen remained under continuous medical supervision in Oslo two months after undergoing a life-saving lung transplant operation in mid-June.
Her daughter, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, stepped in to support her father during the official ceremony in her mother's place. King Haakon VIII formally entered into office on Tuesday, September 1, by taking his oath before the Parliament of Norway.
Standing alongside his mother, Queen Sonja, and his eldest daughter, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, the new monarch swore to govern the kingdom of Norway in accordance with its Constitution and laws, calling on almighty and omniscient God to aid him.
Norway is a constitutional monarchy in Northern Europe where the sovereign serves as head of state. Under Norwegian constitutional practice, a monarch formally assumes office upon taking an oath before the country's national assembly, known as the Storting, located in Oslo.
Medical Complications and Health History
Norwegian media reported updates from Mette-Marit's pulmonologist concerning her medical recovery following her surgery. In comments cited by public broadcaster NRK, Doctor Are Holm of Rikshospitalet in Oslo explained that it is not uncommon for complications to arise after a lung transplant.
Holm stated that the queen has experienced complications on several occasions since the mid-June surgery, including on Tuesday, requiring doctors to monitor her throughout the day. Rikshospitalet is Norway's primary national university hospital, located in the capital city of Oslo.
The royal was diagnosed in 2018 with pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung condition that causes progressive tissue scarring. The illness had forced her to scale back her official public schedule in recent months prior to her operation.
Despite her health struggles, Mette-Marit appeared in public alongside her family starting on Friday, showing visible emotion while inspecting thousands of floral tributes and messages left outside the royal palace in honor of King Harald V. The former monarch passed away on Friday at the age of 89.
Royal Controversies and Public Opinion
While limiting her public appearances due to her illness, Mette-Marit remained a frequent subject in Norwegian media headlines following several public scandals. She faced intense public criticism over her past friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The queen also followed from a distance as her eldest son, 29-year-old Marius Borg Høiby, went on trial for rape. Høiby, born from a previous relationship prior to her marriage to King Haakon VIII, was subsequently convicted and placed under house arrest.
Despite his conviction and house arrest, public authorities permitted Høiby to visit the hospital to say goodbye to his step-grandfather. He was also seen alongside royal family members carrying King Harald V's coffin from the Red Room to the palace chapel on Monday, August 31, an event that provoked widespread shock among Norwegians.
Public prosecutors have also authorized Høiby to attend the late king's funeral ceremony, which is scheduled for September 9. Although Mette-Marit's popularity has been damaged by months of controversy, public confidence in the Norwegian royal family has experienced a sharp recovery following the death of King Harald V.
After dropping to a historical low in February, approval of the monarchy rose to 72 percent according to a benchmark survey conducted over the weekend by polling institute Norstat.
