The son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has been apprehended by authorities on suspicion of assault. This arrest precedes his trial, scheduled to commence in Oslo on Tuesday, where he faces 38 charges, notably including the alleged rape of four women.
Marius Borg Høiby, aged 29, has been ordered into custody for a period of four weeks. Police have indicated that the most recent accusations against him involve the unlawful use of a knife and the violation of a restraining order. Authorities also cited a demonstrable risk of further offenses.
This latest detention, occurring on Sunday, marks the fourth time Borg Høiby has been taken into police custody since August 2024. His initial apprehension that year was related to accusations of assaulting a woman with whom he was involved in a relationship.
While Borg Høiby has publicly denied the more serious charges levied against him, he has admitted to some of the less significant allegations.
Royal Family Grapples with Latest Scandal
This development represents the newest in a series of controversies to affect the Norwegian royal family. The public is also processing revelations concerning his mother’s correspondence with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Records indicate their communication spanned three years, from 2011 to 2014.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit has since acknowledged a lapse in “poor judgment” following the disclosure of her extensive contacts with Epstein. She conveyed her “deep sympathy and solidarity with the victims of the abuses committed by Jeffrey Epstein,” characterizing her interactions with him as “simply embarrassing.”
Further details have surfaced indicating she stayed at Epstein’s Florida residence for four nights during his absence. It also emerged that she inquired of Epstein whether it was “inappropriate” for a mother to suggest to her 15-year-old son the use of wallpaper depicting two naked women carrying a surfboard.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre publicly supported the Crown Princess’s admission of “poor judgment.” While he refrained from further commentary, his implicit critique of her actions is considered highly uncommon.
Questions are now being raised within Norway regarding the Crown Princess’s apparent failure to recognize the problematic nature of maintaining contact with Epstein. Additionally, her correspondence with him, conducted via an official royal email account, has prompted scrutiny into the role played by her advisors.
“It seems that nobody has been thinking. Where are the counsellors, where’s the royal court and where’s the foreign office?” queried Ole-Jørgen Schulsrud-Hansen, a historian and royal correspondent for Norway’s TV2.
Schulsrud-Hansen also stated his belief that the monarch has successfully distanced itself from the impending court case, citing the argument that the princess’s son is a private citizen. However, he asserted this distinction does not apply to Mette-Marit. “She’s never a private citizen, she’s always the crown princess and what she’s doing in a private capacity or official capacity it will always redirect back to Norway – or ricochet,” he explained.
Crown Princess’s Public Role and Personal Health
Mette-Marit is designated as the future queen of Norway. She holds a prominent societal position, serving as patron for numerous organizations, including the Red Cross. Concurrently, she is managing a personal health challenge as she suffers from pulmonary fibrosis, with medical professionals preparing to place her on a waiting list for a lung transplant.
When Mette-Marit married into the royal family, she was a commoner, and her son was already four years old. Although Marius Borg Høiby is not a formal member of the royal family, he holds the status of Crown Prince Haakon’s stepson.
Scope of Charges Against Borg Høiby
The charges against Marius Borg Høiby are extensive, encompassing allegations of rape and abuse, alongside violations of a restraining order. The list also includes charges related to the transportation of 3.5 kilograms of marijuana and instances of speeding.
Upon his initial arrest in 2024, Borg Høiby disclosed that he was experiencing several mental health disorders and contending with substance abuse issues. Since that time, he has spent only one week in custody. Therefore, the police’s request for his prolonged remand, covering a significant portion of the trial’s initial phase, represents a notable shift in their approach.
The Oslo District Court issued a statement, as reported by Reuters news agency, confirming its agreement with the police’s request. The court cited the objective of preventing the recurrence of offenses as the basis for its decision.
The royal household has made efforts to distance itself from the legal proceedings. In a statement released last week, Crown Prince Haakon extended his sympathy to the women involved in the case and their families, acknowledging the situation as “a difficult time for many of you, and we sympathise.”