Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit was discharged from Oslo University Hospital on Tuesday, nearly one month after undergoing a lung transplant, the royal household announced. On the same day, her son Marius Borg Høiby was transferred from a high-security prison to the crown princely estate at Skaugum to serve pre-appeal detention under electronic monitoring, after the Norwegian Prosecuting Authority withdrew its objection to the arrangement. The dual developments place the heir to the throne and her family at the intersection of a delicate medical recovery and a high-profile criminal case.

According to the royal court, the 52-year-old crown princess expressed “deep gratitude” to organ donors and medical staff, while Crown Prince Haakon described her return home as “a great relief”. Medical officials at Rikshospitalet stated that her condition is as good as can be expected, but cautioned that she faces a six-month rehabilitation programme with close surveillance for complications such as transplant rejection or infection. The crown princess, diagnosed in 2018 with an unusual variant of pulmonary fibrosis, will undertake no official engagements during this period. The hospital’s head of pulmonary medicine, Are Holm, noted that even in optimal cases, full stabilisation typically requires around a year.

Oslo District Court ruled on Monday that Høiby, 29, could leave custody and reside in a dwelling on the Skaugum estate while wearing an electronic ankle tag. The court had previously rejected similar requests, but accepted the defence argument that his presence was needed to support his mother during her convalescence. Høiby, who is the crown princess’s son from a previous relationship and holds no royal title, was convicted in June on charges including two counts of rape and domestic violence against a former girlfriend, and sentenced to four years in prison. Both he and the prosecution have appealed the verdict, which is not yet legally binding. The prosecution initially lodged a formal appeal against the house arrest decision, but abandoned it on Tuesday morning, clearing the way for his transfer.

Swedish commentators note that the arrangement transforms Skaugum, a private estate gifted to the Norwegian crown prince in 1929 and later occupied by the Nazi regime, into a combined convalescent home and detention facility. Italian reports highlight Høiby’s statement to the court that his family has endured a “fairly heavy” period and that being unable to support his mother was “incredibly difficult”. Under the terms of his detention, Høiby may not leave the property except for approved activities such as work, treatment or hospital visits, and must submit to regular drug tests. The royal household’s communications chief told Norwegian media that the crown princely couple wish to support him in his current phase. The appeal proceedings against Høiby’s conviction remain pending, with no date yet set for a new trial.