The Norwegian royal house is entering a critical phase. Princess Mette-Marit, the future queen, is worsening - and her husband, Crown Prince Haakon, said so publicly during the Abel Prize ceremony. "She is seriously ill, and I believe she has worsened recently. I am worried about her health," Haakon said, with a rare openness for the Norwegian court.

Mette-Marit, aged 52, has been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis since 2018 - an incurable condition that gradually scars the lungs and brings ever-increasing respiratory difficulty. She already uses oxygen through a nasal cannula every day. She is on the waiting list for a lung transplant, and Haakon himself said "the decision is medical - the doctors decide when the right moment is". Translation: not far off.

She last appeared in public on 17 May, the national holiday of Norway, at the Skaugum residence - with oxygen support, seated. That is the image that shifted the tone of everything for the Norwegian public, who were used to an energetic future queen.

The crisis does not come alone. King Harald and Queen Sonja (88) have their own health problems - she was rushed to hospital a few days ago. And Mette-Marit's son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Hoiby, is appearing in court on multiple charges, which adds political weight to the family drama. The Norwegian crown, known for its discretion, this time cannot hide the weight of the moment.