IN BRIEF
- Crown Princess Mette-Marit's son was also found guilty of domestic violence.
- The Norwegian royal family's popularity has been dented recently, after Mette-Marit's connection to Jeffrey Epstein was revealed.
This article contains references to sexual assault and domestic violence.
An Oslo court sentenced Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit's son to four years in prison on two counts of rape and 32 other offences on Monday, in a high-profile scandal that has rocked the monarchy.
Marius Borg Høiby, 29, Mette-Marit's son from a relationship before her 2001 marriage to Crown Prince Haakon, was accused of 40 charges, from rape to traffic violations, carrying a maximum possible sentence of 16 years in prison.
One of the rapes for which he was convicted took place at the crown prince couple's official residence in 2018.
Høiby, who is not formally part of the royal household and has no steady job, was acquitted of two other counts of rape, and convicted of repeated domestic abuse against an ex-girlfriend, traffic violations, issuing threats, a drug offence and others.
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The prosecution had asked for a seven-year, seven-month jail term.
Høiby, in custody since February, had denied the most serious allegations, including the charges of rape, which the prosecution said took place while the women were asleep or unconscious.
His lawyers had called for him to serve 18 months for the charges to which he had pleaded guilty.
Høiby was not present in court on Monday but followed the reading of the verdict by video link.
The rape victim-survivor in the courtroom collapsed in tears when the judge read out a guilty verdict in her case.
After conferring with Høiby in custody, his lawyers said they would appeal the two rape convictions and the one for domestic abuse.
"I think this verdict is a victory for our justice system, that shows that no one is beyond the law, despite who you are and who you are related to," prosecutor Sturla Henriksbo told Agence France-Presse.
Høiby's life of excess
The trial, held from 3 February to 19 March, laid bare the life of excess lived by Høiby, who was thrust into the public eye at the age of three when his mother's romance with the crown prince began.
"I'm mostly known as my mother's son, not anything else. So I've had an extreme need for recognition my whole life," he testified during the trial.
"And that manifested itself in a lot of sex, a lot of drugs, and a lot of alcohol," he said.
The rapes of which he was accused occurred between 2018 and 2024, after nights of partying where Høiby consumed alcohol and drugs.
Prosecutors argued the cases involved consensual sex later followed by sexual acts when the women appeared to be asleep or passed out, and therefore unable to consent.
Much of the legal arguments centred on the women's level of awareness, and what Høiby would have been able to perceive at the time.
Høiby had criticised the pressure put on him by the media, which he said painted him as "a monster" and made him "the hate target of all of Norway".
Prosecutors describe 'reign of terror'
The scandal erupted on 4 August 2024, when police arrested Høiby on suspicion of assaulting his then-girlfriend in her Oslo apartment the previous night.
The media published photos of a knife stuck in the wall and a shattered chandelier on the floor.
One of his former partners, influencer Nora Haukland, then came forward and said he had also subjected her to physical and psychological abuse — described by prosecutors as a "reign of terror".
During the trial, Høiby acknowledged that jealousy sometimes made him lose control.
The women themselves did not file rape charges against Høiby.
Instead, police investigating the August 2024 incident discovered videos on his phones and computers which they said constituted rapes, and contacted the women, who were unaware of the events depicted.
The scandal has embarrassed Norway's monarchy and contributed to a fall in support, though it remains broadly popular.
It follows earlier revelations of Mette-Marit's friendship with the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Mette-Marit, 52, suffers from an incurable lung disease that causes breathing difficulties and her condition recently took a turn for the worse. Doctors have placed her on a waiting list for a lung transplant.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
If you or someone you know is impacted by family and domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
The Men's Referral Service, operated by No to Violence, can be contacted on 1300 766 491.
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