Norway’s Crown Princess’s Son Arrested Ahead of Rape Trial, Faces New Allegations
Oslo, Norway – Marius Borg Høiby, the eldest son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, was arrested Sunday evening on new charges just days before his highly anticipated trial is set to begin. Police announced the arrest on Monday, adding another layer of complexity to a case that has already caused significant embarrassment to the Norwegian royal family.
Høiby is accused of assault, making threats with a knife, and violating a restraining order, according to a police statement. The alleged offenses took place over the weekend, and authorities have requested a four-week detention period, citing a risk of reoffending. Oslo district court granted the request to detain him until at least March 2nd.
The arrest comes on the eve of a trial scheduled to start Tuesday at the Oslo district court. The indictment against Høiby includes a total of 38 counts, encompassing four counts of rape, abuse in a close relationship against a former partner, acts of violence against another individual, and transporting approximately 7.7 pounds of marijuana. Additional charges include making death threats and traffic violations.
Høiby’s defense lawyer, Petar Sekulic, stated that the arrest followed an alleged “incident” involving another person. Sekulic declined to provide further details but confirmed that Høiby contests his detention and that his legal team is considering an appeal. Due to a scheduled break in the trial proceedings this weekend, statements from both Høiby and the other individual involved will not be taken before then.
The 29-year-old has been under scrutiny since repeated arrests in 2024 on various allegations of wrongdoing. He was formally indicted in August but had remained free pending trial until his arrest on Sunday.
Høiby is the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit from a previous relationship and is the stepson of Crown Prince Haakon. He does not hold a royal title or have any official duties.
The indictment details allegations of four rapes occurring between 2018 and November 2024, violence and threats against a former partner between the summer of 2022 and the fall of 2023, and two alleged acts of violence against a subsequent partner, alongside violations of a restraining order.
Høiby’s defense team has stated that he “denies all charges of sexual abuse, as well as the majority of the charges regarding violence.”
Crown Prince Haakon announced last week that he and Crown Princess Mette-Marit do not plan to attend the court proceedings and that the royal house will refrain from commenting during the trial. He emphasized that Høiby is a citizen of Norway and subject to the same responsibilities and rights as all others, expressing confidence in an orderly and fair trial.
The case has drawn increased attention to the Norwegian royal family, coinciding with renewed scrutiny of Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s past connections to Jeffrey Epstein. Newly released documents from the Epstein files, made public on Friday, revealed hundreds of mentions of the Crown Princess and confirmed she borrowed a property owned by Epstein in Florida in 2013.
In a statement, Crown Princess Mette-Marit expressed regret for not thoroughly investigating Epstein’s background and acknowledged “poor judgment” in having any contact with him. She also conveyed her “deep sympathy and solidarity” with Epstein’s victims.
The Høiby case and the Epstein revelations are not the only recent challenges for the Norwegian royals. The business ventures of Princess Märtha Louise, Crown Prince Haakon’s sister, have also faced criticism, particularly following her marriage to an American self-professed shaman in 2024.
