Verdict Looms in Rape Trial of Norway’s Crown Princess’s Son
Norway braces for verdict in rape – Monday marks a pivotal moment for Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, as three judges in Oslo District Court prepare to announce their decision on 40 charges. Høiby, 29, will attend remotely due to unspecified health concerns, three months after his trial concluded. He faces four rape allegations but has not admitted to the most severe ones, instead acknowledging some lesser offenses involving drugs and traffic violations.
The prosecution is seeking a total sentence of seven years and seven months, while his defense argues for a shorter term of around 18 months. Høiby’s mother, who married into the royal family when he was four, has been hospitalized, prompting an appeal to release him so he could be with her. Despite efforts by his lawyers, the request was denied last week, leaving him in custody since early February.
A Royal Family in Crisis
Public sentiment has shifted significantly since the trial began, fueled by revelations about Mette-Marit’s three-year relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, a disgraced sex offender. The Crown Princess, now reliant on a nasal tube for breathing, has scaled back her public appearances. Her health has become a focal point, with doctors noting that being placed on a transplant list often indicates a prognosis of one year or less to live.
As the trial unfolds, the royal family faces scrutiny. King Harald, 89, and Queen Sonja, have limited influence over the outcome, though Crown Prince Haakon has attempted to balance support for Høiby with empathy for the victims. The case has cast a shadow over the monarchy, with Høiby’s nickname “Little Marius” symbolizing the personal and political tensions at play.
“Norwegian sentencing guidelines do not require consecutive terms, so the total punishment may not be straightforward,” explains May-Len Skilbrei, a criminology professor at the University of Oslo.
Four women accused Høiby of rape, with the prosecution alleging the incidents occurred while they were asleep or incapacitated after consensual encounters. Høiby denies these charges, though he admits to trafficking 3.5kg of marijuana, reckless driving, and breaching a restraining order. A few days before the verdict, he was transferred to Ila prison, near Oslo, where he will receive his sentence via video link, avoiding the dramatic courtroom scenes of earlier in the trial.
