Crown Prince visits Poland as wife stays home with health issues

The Crown Prince has arrived in Poland as part of royal duties, according to a statement issued by the Royal House of Norway on Tuesday.

The statement said that Crown Prince Haakon was accompanied by Gdansk's mayor as he visited  the city upon his arrival.

The Crown Prince is married to Mette-Marit , 51, who was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018. She did not travel with her husband for his visit to Poland.

"In Gdansk, the Crown Prince visited the Solidarity Center, a central site for Poland's transition from communism to democracy, and an important part of the country's history. He also met Nobel laureate and former president Lech Walesa, a front figure of the movement with great importance for the development of the country," the statement added.

Poland and Norway have close ties and good cooperation in many important areas. Over 100,000 Poles live in Norway, and many Norwegians study in Poland and visit the country.

A statement issued last month said: 'Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit's chronic disease pulmonary fibrosis has progressed. The Crown Princess has daily symptoms and ailments that affect her ability to perform her duties. The Crown Princess needs more rest, and her daily routine changes more quickly than before," the statement continued. "This means that changes to her official schedule may occur more frequently, and at shorter notice than we are used to."