Princess celebrates birthday after apology over Epstein links and son’s conviction

Norway’s royal family is celebrating 53rd birthday of Crown Princess Mette-Marit two months after she underwent a successful lung transplant.

Sharing a picture of the princess with her husband and children, the royal family wrote on Instagram, “Congratulations to Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who turns 53 today!”

The wife of Crown Prince Haakon, ‌heir to the Norwegian throne, was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018, a chronic disease that causes scarring in the lungs and reduces oxygen uptake.

The surgery came at a strained time for the royal family as Mette-Marit's 29-year-old son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Hoiby, was convicted of rape and domestic violence and sentenced to four years in prison.

Days later, he was released from detention to serve house arrest under electronic monitoring while awaiting his appeal.

Mette-Marit was 25, a single mother and a commoner when she met Haakon at a music festival in 1999, the start of ⁠an unlikely royal romance that initially sparked controversy but ultimately won over much of the Norwegian public.

Referring to opinion polls earlier this year, Reuters news agency reported that support for Norway's monarchy has taken a hit due to several scandals involving the princess and her son.

Hoiby's conviction followed a highly publicised trial that dominated headlines.

Meanwhile, the ⁠crown princess apologised to the king and queen for her contact with late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, whom she had described as a friend, though she cut ties several years before his death in 2019.

A Norstat survey in February, conducted during Hoiby's trial, showed support for retaining the monarchy falling to a record low of 60%, before recovering slightly to 64% in May.