The trial of Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, commenced on Tuesday, with charges including rape, marking the beginning of several weeks of legal proceedings that have brought negative attention to the royal family. Høiby, 29, is not a titled royal and does not have official duties, as he is the stepson of Crown Prince Haakon, the heir to the throne. Over the years, Høiby has faced multiple arrests on various allegations.
The trial, held at the Oslo district court, started on Tuesday and is expected to continue until March 19. Høiby is facing 38 charges, including rape, abuse within a previous relationship, violent behavior towards another partner, and the transportation of marijuana. Additional accusations involve making threats of death and traffic violations.
If proven guilty, Høiby could potentially face a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, as per prosecutors. The trial, which has garnered international interest, saw the judge issuing rules in English, forbidding any recording or photography within the courtroom and announcing that some witness testimonies would be confidential.
Høiby’s defense team has vehemently denied the allegations of sexual abuse and most of the violence-related charges. Despite being free until recently, Høiby was arrested on new charges of assault, knife threats, and breaching a restraining order, leading to his detention for up to four weeks due to concerns of reoffending.
The charges against Høiby relate to alleged incidents of rape between 2018 and 2024, violence, and threats towards former and subsequent partners, including breaches of restraining orders. The royal family, including King Harald, Crown Prince Haakon, and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, have distanced themselves from the trial proceedings, aiming to maintain their silence during this period.
The royal family’s reputation has been tarnished by Høiby’s legal troubles, coinciding with renewed scrutiny on Mette-Marit’s past interactions with Jeffrey Epstein after the recent release of additional documents from the Epstein files. Despite expressing regret in 2019 for her connections with Epstein, the ongoing trial has continued to cast a shadow over the royal family’s public image.