Oskar Aanmoen / Royal Central

The Omicron variant is spreading rapidly and has been affecting royal agendas since the end of November.

Crown Prince Harken and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway have decided to postpone their planned visit to Sweden indefinitely.

In a press release on Wednesday 22 December, the Norwegian Royal Family has stated that the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, in view of the rapid diversity of cases in both Norway and Sweden, have decided to postpone the visit.

The statement read in its entirety: “The Crown Prince Couple’s visit to Sweden has been postponed.

“The visit is postponed due to the new development of the pandemic, with high infection rates in both Norway and Sweden.

“Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit would have made an official visit to Sweden 26-28 January 2022.

– The visit is postponed. Efforts are being made to find a new time when the visit can end. ”

Crown Princess Mette-Marit is considered a high-risk subject due to her 2018 diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis; The lungs are one of the organs most affected by the virus, making this the most prudent decision for the Norwegian couple.

The visit had already been postponed once. It was originally planned for the end of December from the 26th to the 28th and was moved to the end of January 2022 to allow more time for the health situation to be resolved.

On the Swedish side, it would have been the duty of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel to welcome their guests and accompany them on commitments aimed at strengthening not only the relationship between the two future monarchs but also the joint efforts of both countries. to tackle the healthcare crisis with a common response.

As the press release clarified, it is not yet known when the visit will be allowed to take place.