Oslo, Norway — The eldest son of the Crown Princess of Norway was arrested just before the start of his trial, on charges, including rape in a case that embarrassed the royal family, police said Monday.
Marius Borg Høiby was arrested on Sunday evening on new charges of assault, threatening with a knife and violating a restraining order, police said in a statement. They requested four weeks of detention because of the risk of reoffending. His lawyers could not immediately be reached for comment.
Høiby was already scheduled to stand trial on Tuesday at the Oslo District Court. The indictment includes 38 counts, including rape, abuse in a close relationship against a former partner, violent acts against another and transportation of 7.7 pounds of marijuana. Other charges include death threats and traffic violations.
Høiby has been under surveillance since he was arrested several times in 2024 for various allegations of wrongdoing. He was charged in August but was free awaiting trial until Sunday.
Høiby is the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit from a previous relationship. He is the stepson of the heir to the throne, Crown Prince Haakon, but has no royal title or official position himself.
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The indictment relates to four alleged rapes between 2018 and November 2024; alleged violence and threats against a former partner between summer 2022 and fall 2023; and two alleged acts of violence against a subsequent partner, as well as violations of a restraining order.
Høiby’s defense team said he “denies all accusations of sexual abuse, as well as the majority of accusations concerning violence.”
Haakon said last week that he and Mette-Marit did not intend to attend court and that the royal household did not intend to comment during the proceedings.
He emphasized that Høiby is not part of the royal household and that as a Norwegian citizen he has the same responsibilities and rights as everyone else. He said he was confident that everyone involved would make the trial as orderly, proper and fair as possible.
While the royal family is generally popular in Norway, the Høiby affair has tarnished their image. And the trial opens just as his mother faces new scrutiny over her contacts with Jeffrey Epstein.
Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit mentioned in Epstein files
on Friday publication of the latest batch of documents from the Epstein files shined an unflattering spotlight on Mette-Marit. They contained several hundred mentions of the crown princess, who had already said in 2019 that she regretted having contact with Epstein, Norwegian media reported.
The newly released documents, which include email exchanges with Epstein, show that Mette-Marit borrowed an Epstein property in Palm Beach, Florida, for several days in early 2013, and the royal household confirmed she did so through a mutual friend, broadcaster NRK reported.
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In an emailed statement from the royal household, Mette-Marit said she “must take responsibility for not investigating Epstein’s background more thoroughly and realizing sooner what kind of person he was.”
“I deeply regret it, and it is a responsibility that I must take. I demonstrated a lack of judgment and I regret having had any contact with Epstein,” she said. “It’s just embarrassing.”
She expressed her “deep sympathy and solidarity” with the victims of Epstein’s abuse.
