Following the death of King Harald V, Norway has ushered in a new reign under King Haakon VIII - and with it, a deeply unconventional Queen Consort. When single mother Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby first fell in love with Crown Prince Haakon, her late father-in-law famously defended her "wild past," praising her as an "extraordinary girl" embarking on an extraordinary life.
Long before entering the palace, Mette-Marit had already faced public scrutiny over her life in Oslo's house-party scene. Just days before her 2001 royal wedding, she took the unprecedented step of addressing her past in an emotional broadcast to the nation.
"My youth rebellion was much stronger than many others," she confessed in a press conference prior to her royal wedding, via BBC News. "That resulted in me living quite a wild life."
Mette-Marit also took the opportunity to condemn drugs, according to The Guardian. "We went over the limits, and I'm very sorry about that. It was important for me to live in defiance of what was accepted," she is quoted as saying. "I cannot make these choices again, even though I would wish I could. I hope that I can now avoid talking more about my past, and that the press will respect this wish."
However, her past has repeatedly resurfaced. The revelations from the Jeffrey Epstein files - which revealed her friendship with the disgraced financier - alongside a high-profile criminal trial involving her eldest son, have cast a long shadow over her ascension to Queen Consort.
So, just who is Mette-Marit? Continue reading to learn about Norway's new Queen Consort.
"Southern girl"
Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby was born to Marit Tjessem and Sven Olaf Bjarte Høiby on August 19, 1973 in Kristiansand. Her husband Haakon once referred to her as a "bright southern girl".
© All Over Press/Getty ImagesShe was a single mother
Mette-Marit was a single mother to son Marius Borg Høiby when she met then-Crown Prince Haakon. She welcomed her first child Marius – from a previous relationship with a man reportedly convicted of drug charges – in January of 1997.
Marius, 29, has continued to cast a dark shadow over the monarchy following his high-profile criminal trial at Oslo District Court in June 2026. He was convicted of 34 criminal offenses - including two counts of rape and domestic abuse - and sentenced to four years in prison, a verdict his legal team is currently appealing.
© UK Press via Getty ImagesHer Prince Charming
According to DB, Haakon and Mette-Marit met through mutual friends in the summer of 1997. "I don't have a clear answer as to when we got together. The thing is, I actually don't know," Haakon told NRK in 2001. "We had mutual friends, but it took time before we got to know each other."
The pair reportedly didn't start dating until 1999, with Mette-Marit crediting their conversations with bringing them closer.
"It had something to do with the radiance. It's easy to say it was the smile, or that it had something to do with the eyes. But it's probably something about the whole. I think it was the friendliness, and that she was very present in the situation when she was there," Haakon told NRK, translated to English. "I think that's what fascinated me. That she surrounds you."
In a press conference discussing Mette-Marit's past, the now-King declared: "I think that together we are stronger than I am by myself.”
© Getty ImagesShe married into the royal family in 2001
Haakon's engagement to Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby was announced on 1 December 2000. The couple tied the knot the following summer on August 25, 2001 at Oslo Cathedral. The ceremony was attended by various European royals including the Netherlands' now-Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander, Denmark's now-King Frederik, Spain's now-King Felipe and more. Mette-Marit's young son Marius was part of the wedding party, serving as his stepfather's groomsman.
At the gala dinner held at the palace, King Harald told his new daughter-in-law (via the Royal House and translated to English): "I have read several times about you that you are the ordinary girl who will today become the Crown Princess of Norway. That does not match my impression – you are not an ordinary girl – you are an extraordinary girl."
"You are unusually open and honest. You are unusually committed. You have extraordinary willpower. You are extraordinarily brave. You have made an extraordinary choice today. You are extraordinarily in love with Haakon, and today you have chosen to enter an extraordinary life," the king continued.
© Per Ole Hagen/Getty ImagesWelcoming two more children
In addition to Marius, Mette is a mother to Princess Ingrid Alexandra, who is now heir apparent to the Norwegian throne, and Prince Sverre Magnus. Norway's new Queen shares her daughter and younger son with Haakon.
She has chronic lung disease
Mette-Marit was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018. In a statement at the time, the royal mom of three shared (translated to English): "For a number of years, I have had health challenges on a regular basis, and now we know more about what is involved. The condition means that my working capacity will vary. The Crown Prince and I are choosing to make this public now partly because in future there will be a need to plan periods of time without an official programme to accommodate treatment and when the disease is more active."
She also said: "Even if such a diagnosis will limit my life at times, I am glad that the disease has been discovered so early. My goal is still to work and participate in the official programme as much as possible."
It was announced in October of 2025 that Mette-Marit had restarted her treatment for her chronic lung disease. Two months later, in December, the Royal House shared an update, revealing that several tests performed that autumn showed "a clear negative development in the crown princess's health." The Royal House stated: "The doctors at Rikshospitalet have therefore begun preparations with a view to assessing her for a lung transplant."
The royal underwent a successful lung transplant at Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet in June 2026. After the procedure, Are Holm, Head of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, shared that her condition was "as good as can be expected under the circumstances."
In a statement, Mette-Marit said: "I am deeply grateful. First, I would like to thank everyone who chooses organ donation. It has given me the gift of life, and words fall short when I try to describe how grateful and humble I am for this. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has followed me on this long journey. My family, doctors, surgeons, nurses, physiotherapists and other healthcare personnel, and everyone else who makes an irreplaceable contribution to the Norwegian healthcare system every day."
"I want to send a special shout out to my fibro friends. You have been exceptional during one of the most challenging phases of life. Living with fibrosis is not for the faint of heart, and not a day goes by that I don't think about how strong you are. I really appreciate the care I have received during my illness from so many people all over Norway. It has given me strength when I needed it most. Thank you very much."
© Rune Hellestad - Corbis/Getty ImagesNorway's new Queen Consort
Upon her father-in-law's death in 2026, Mette-Marit's husband ascended the throne, making her Norway's Queen Consort. Per Se og Hør, King Harald's older sister Princess Ragnhild once said that she hoped to die before her brother so she wouldn't have to see Mette-Marit become queen, which now seems to be an "ongoing debate".
Following the release of messages between Mette-Marit and Epstein, which included her telling the paedophile, "you always make me smile because you tickle my brain," Niklas Kokkinn-Thoresen, editor-in-chief of Se og Hør Norway, told HELLO! that there was "already an ongoing debate about whether Mette-Marit can become queen after this".
"The revelations of the past few days place the Crown Princess in a very bad light and, not least, cast doubt on her honesty toward the Norwegian people. The Epstein case will definitely affect the monarchy – and especially her – in a negative way," Niklas said, adding: "This could potentially become very problematic for the monarchy if many questions remain unanswered."
© Alamy Stock PhotoThe Epstein messages and fallout
Apart from declaring "you always make me smile", in another email Mette-Marit once penned that Epstein was "very charming" and "such a sweetheart". In 2011, she emailed Epstein, who registered as a sex offender after a 2008 case, telling him: "Googled u after last email Agree didn't look too good : )." She also asked him in 2012 if it was "inappropriate for a mother to suggest two naked women carrying a surfboard for" her then-15-year-old son's wallpaper.
Following the fallout from her exchanges with Epstein, and with her son Marius' trial, Mette-Marit has since released a statement admitting she "needs time to gather herself" before responding publicly. Part of the statement released in early February read: "I would like to express my deepest regret for my friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. It is important for me to apologise to all of you that I have disappointed.
"Some of the content of the messages between Epstein and me does not represent the person I want to be. I also apologise for the situation that I have put the Royal Family in, especially the King and Queen."
The palace explained that Mette-Marit hopes to "explain herself in more detail" over the coming weeks but is currently in a "demanding situation".
