Norway's Princess Ingrid Alexandra to come home as mother faces health crisis

Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway is set to return home from Australia, where she is currently studying, as the health of her mother, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, continues to deteriorate.

Crown Prince announces Japan

Crown Prince Haakon, 52, shared the news about his daughter during a press conference held in Japan, where he had been on an official visit this week, according to Norwegian broadcaster NRK.

In an English translation of NRK's reporting, the princess "plans to come home soon. It has to do with the family situation. She wants to be with her mother."

Ingrid Alexandra, 22, is currently midway through a three-year bachelor's degree in international relations and political economy at the University of Sydney.

Whilst plans remain for her to eventually return to Australia to complete her studies, the Crown Prince said it was not yet known how long she would remain at home.

The Norwegian palace had separately announced on 29 May that Crown Prince Haakon's Japan trip was being cut short by one day, also on account of Crown Princess Mette-Marit's "health situation."

Mette-Marit's condition has grown significantly worse

Crown Princess Mette-Marit, 52, was diagnosed with chronic pulmonary fibrosis in 2018. The Royal House of Norway stated in March that her health had "deteriorated," and last week the Crown Prince provided a further update that painted a concerning picture.

"The Crown Princess is seriously ill, and I think she has gotten a bit worse lately," he said, per NRK. "So I am worried about her health."

"These six months have gone pretty well, I think. But there are different phases. So we just have to try to solve it as best we can," the Crown Prince added.

During several recent public appearances, Crown Princess Mette-Marit has been photographed wearing a nasal cannula — an oxygen breathing tube. When asked whether she would be placed on a lung transplant waiting list, the Crown Prince deferred to her medical team.

"It's a medical question. So they're the ones who decide when it should happen, when it's right," he said. "But I think she's gotten a lot worse lately, unfortunately."

A family under considerable strain

Crown Princess Mette-Marit is not the only member of the Norwegian royal family currently facing serious health challenges.

On 27 May, Crown Prince Haakon's mother, Queen Sonja, 88, was admitted to hospital with atrial fibrillation and heart failure.

The palace announced that the Queen would require a week of rest and an adjustment to her medication. Queen Sonja had previously had a pacemaker fitted in January 2025.

Her husband, King Harald, 89, has also endured a series of health setbacks in recent years, including a leg operation in 2022, Covid-19 diagnoses in both 2022 and 2023, and pacemaker surgery in 2024.

Most recently, in February 2026, the King was hospitalised for infection and dehydration whilst on a family holiday in Tenerife.