Norway’s crown princess’s eldest son has been taken into custody just before his trial was set to begin on charges that include rape, the police revealed on Monday. Marius Borg Høiby was apprehended on Sunday evening and is facing allegations of assault, wielding a knife to threaten, and breaching a restraining order, as stated by the authorities. The police sought a four-week detention citing concerns of potential reoffending.
Scheduled for Tuesday, Høiby’s trial is slated to take place at the Oslo district court. The charges against him encompass 38 accusations, such as rape, domestic violence against a former partner, physical aggression towards another individual, and the transportation of 3.5 kilograms of marijuana. Additional charges include making threats of violence and traffic offenses.
Høiby has been under intense scrutiny since his multiple arrests in 2024 on various misconduct charges. However, he had been free on bail until his recent arrest. Prosecutors have indicated that the 29-year-old could potentially face up to 10 years in prison if found guilty during the trial, which is anticipated to conclude by mid-March.
The son of Mette-Marit from a previous relationship and stepson of Crown Prince Haakon, Høiby’s legal troubles have overshadowed the positive image traditionally associated with the royal family in Norway.
Before the trial commenced, the recent release of documents from the Epstein files on Friday shed light on Mette-Marit in an unfavorable manner. The documents contained numerous references to the crown princess, who publicly expressed regret in 2019 for her association with Epstein. The newly disclosed documents revealed that Mette-Marit had stayed at one of Epstein’s properties in Palm Beach, Florida, for several days in early 2013, a fact confirmed by the royal house through a mutual acquaintance.
In a statement issued by the royal house, Mette-Marit acknowledged her oversight in not investigating Epstein’s background more thoroughly and expressed deep remorse for her misjudgment in engaging with him. She emphasized her solidarity with Epstein’s victims and termed the situation as “embarrassing.”
Apart from Mette-Marit’s ties to Epstein and Høiby’s legal issues, negative publicity has also surrounded Norway’s royal family due to the business dealings of Crown Prince Haakon’s sister, Princess Märtha Louise. In 2024, amidst the media attention on Høiby’s case, Märtha Louise married an American self-proclaimed shaman, Durek Verrett, sparking criticism.
The confluence of events has put the Norwegian royals under heightened scrutiny and raised questions about their public image and conduct.
