Crown Prince has surgery for condition caused by his favourite sport

One of Europe's oldest royal families has released a statement regarding the health of its future king, who was forced to have surgery and cut down on his royal duties.

Norway's Crown Prince Haakon was taken to Oslo University Hospital, where he underwent the procedure.

The 45-year-old had been suffering from exostosis in the ear canal, an abnormal growth of bone.

It's most commonly known as 'Surfers' Ear' or 'Swimmers' Ear' as exposure to wind and cold water causes the bone surrounding the ear canal to thicken and constrict the ear canal, sometimes to the point of complete blockage which can lead to substantial hearing loss.

Prince Haakon is an avid surfer, having taken part in the sport for many years. Even his family, including wife Mette-Marit, and their two children, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 15, and Prince Sverre Magnus, 13, get involved.

In 2017, the palace shared a photo from a private holiday the Crown Prince family took in Hoddevik outside of Stadt, in the west of Norway. It shows them enjoying the water with surfboards on hand.

Crown Prince Haakon's condition is not thought to be serious but he's expected to take a break from his royal duties for at least two weeks.

His wife, however, is currently battling her own health condition which is far worse than her husband's. In 2018, Crown Princess Mette-Marit was diagnosed with a rare chronic lung disease. At the time the palace said an "unusual variant of fibrosis has been detected in the lungs". The condition causes a person's lungs to become scarred, and makes breathing increasingly difficult.

The 45-year-old, who will become the country's future Queen, said she would probably have to limit her royal duties in the future.

"For a number of years, I have had health challenges on a regular basis, and now we know more about what these are," the princess said in a statement.

"Although such a diagnosis will limit my life at times, I'm 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," she added.

Mette-Marit, who has a son Marius Borg, 22, from a previous relationship, met Norway's Crown Prince during a music festival in the 1990s.

They married at Oslo Cathedral in 2001. Crown Prince Haakon's father is King Harald V, and his mother is Queen Sonja.