The death of King Harald on August 28, 2026, ushered in a new era for the Norwegian royal family. His son Haakon ascended to the throne, and Mette-Marit thus became Queen of Norway. For the 53-year-old, however, her new role began under difficult circumstances.
She underwent a lung transplant as recently as June 2026 and is still recovering. The palace had previously announced that she would initially be able to carry out her public duties only to a limited extent. She was also absent from the memorial service for King Harald on August 30.
Mette-Marit Canceled King Haakon’s Swearing-In Ceremony at the Last Minute
Just a few days after the succession, it became clear how much her health was affecting her ability to participate in royal events. Mette-Marit had to cancel her attendance at Haakon’s swearing-in ceremony on September 1 due to complications following her lung transplant. Instead, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra accompanied her father. Mette-Marit was subsequently taken to hospital for observation.
Nevertheless, royal expert Caroline Vagle believes Mette-Marit will remain an important source of support for her husband in her new role as queen. In an interview with Dagbladet, she described Mette-Marit as an invaluable source of support for the new king.
At the same time, Vagle acknowledged that Mette-Marit may not be able to be present in person to the same extent as Queen Sonja, at least in the near future.
Survey in Norway Shows Mixed Reactions to the New Queen
According to a survey by InFact, 38 percent of Norwegians expressed doubts about whether Mette-Marit can fulfill her role as queen. Meanwhile, 35.8 percent said they believe she is capable of fulfilling the role to a large or very large extent, while 26.4 percent were undecided.
For the survey, the institute interviewed 1,058 people aged 18 and older by telephone. A second survey on trust produced more divided results: 40.3 percent said they had little trust in the Queen, 31.4 percent expressed trust, 24.5 percent fell somewhere in between, and 3.8 percent answered “don’t know.”
Ingrid Alexandra and Sverre Magnus Could Take on More Responsibilities
With Haakon, Mette-Marit, Ingrid Alexandra, and Sverre Magnus, the number of active members of the Norwegian royal family is relatively small. As a result, the Queen’s limited availability could have a direct impact on the distribution of royal duties.
Ingrid Alexandra already played a prominent role alongside her father during the swearing-in ceremony. Sverre Magnus could also become more involved, although he was scheduled to begin his studies in Portugal.
Queen Sonja will also remain active following the succession. For the time being, the royal family’s schedule will likely depend largely on how quickly Mette-Marit recovers following her transplant.
