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The trial of the son of the Crown Princess of Norway, accused in particular of rape, opened on Tuesday, opening weeks of proceedings in a case which has tarnished the image of the royal family.
Marius Borg Høiby, 29, is the eldest son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit from a previous relationship and the stepson of the heir to the throne, Crown Prince Haakon. Høiby has no royal title or official duties.
He has been under surveillance since being arrested multiple times in 2024 for various allegations of wrongdoing.
Høiby took his place at the Oslo District Court on Tuesday morning for the trial, which is scheduled to last until March 19.
He faces 38 charges. These include rape, abuse in a close relationship against a former partner, acts of violence against another and the transportation of 3.5 kilograms of marijuana. Other charges include death threats and traffic violations.
The latest batch of Epstein files includes several emails with Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York. The documents contain no evidence of anything illegal, but show her extensive relationship with the convicted sex offender.
Prosecutors said Høiby could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Seven alleged victims are expected to testify.
Reflecting international interest in the trial, the judge addressed the court in English, warning that recording or taking photos was prohibited in the courtroom and clarifying that some testimony would be heard behind closed doors.
Høiby’s defense team said he “denies all accusations of sexual abuse, as well as the majority of accusations concerning violence.”
He was at large awaiting trial until Sunday, when police said he was arrested on new allegations of assault, threatening with a knife and violating a restraining order.
The Oslo court on Monday granted his request for continued detention for up to four weeks on the grounds of a risk of reoffending. Defense lawyer Petar Sekulic said the arrest followed an alleged “incident” involving another person on Sunday.
Shadow over the image of the royal family
He declined to give details, but said Høiby was contesting his detention and his legal team planned to appeal as soon as he and the other person were able to provide statements to police.
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 the trial and that the royal household did not intend to comment during the proceedings.
King Harald, 88, and the royal family are generally popular in Norway, but the Høiby affair has damaged the family’s image.
And Høiby’s trial opens just as Mette-Marit faces renewed scrutiny over her past contacts with Jeffrey Epstein following Friday’s release of a new batch of documents from the Epstein files. 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.
