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Stepson of Norway’s Crown Princess Testifies, Denies Rape Videos as Trial Advances

Updated (7 articles)
  • Marius Borg Høiby (C) wore a white T-shirt as he sat in court with his defence counsel
    Image: BBC
    Marius Borg Høiby (C) wore a white T-shirt as he sat in court with his defence counsel (Reuters) Source Full size
  • Marius Borg Høiby has now been arrested four times in 18 months (file picture)
    Image: BBC
    Marius Borg Høiby has now been arrested four times in 18 months (file picture) (AFP) Source Full size
  • Norway’s Marius Borg Hoiby and Crown Princess Mette-Marit in Oslo, June 16, 2022.
    Image: Newsweek
    Norway’s Marius Borg Hoiby and Crown Princess Mette-Marit in Oslo, June 16, 2022. Source Full size
  • Marius Borg Høiby, 29, is accused of 38 charges
    Image: BBC
    Marius Borg Høiby, 29, is accused of 38 charges (LISE ASERUD/NTB/AFP) Source Full size
  • Crown Princess Mette-Marit said she regretted having any contact with Epstein at all
    Image: BBC
    Crown Princess Mette-Marit said she regretted having any contact with Epstein at all (Corbis via Getty Images) Source Full size
  • Crown Princess Mette-Marit married Crown Prince Haakon when her son was four years old
    Image: BBC
    Crown Princess Mette-Marit married Crown Prince Haakon when her son was four years old (Reuters) Source Full size
  • State prosecutor Sturla Henriksbø (L) read out the 38 charges as the trial got under way
    Image: BBC
    State prosecutor Sturla Henriksbø (L) read out the 38 charges as the trial got under way (Paul Kirby/BBC) Source Full size
  • Defence counsel Ellen Holager Andenæs said Marius Borg Høiby was a young man who deserved a fair trial and criticised press reporting on his case
    Image: BBC
    Defence counsel Ellen Holager Andenæs said Marius Borg Høiby was a young man who deserved a fair trial and criticised press reporting on his case (Paul Kirby/BBC) Source Full size
  • Marius Borg Høiby has now been arrested four times in 18 months (file picture)
    Image: BBC
    Marius Borg Høiby has now been arrested four times in 18 months (file picture) (AFP) Source Full size
  • Crown Princess Mette-Marit, shown at an event for Norway's Constitution Day last year, is the country's future queen
    Image: BBC
    Crown Princess Mette-Marit, shown at an event for Norway's Constitution Day last year, is the country's future queen (Per Ole Hagen/Getty Images) Source Full size
  • Crown Princess Mette-Marit said she regretted having any contact with Epstein at all
    Image: BBC
    Crown Princess Mette-Marit said she regretted having any contact with Epstein at all (Corbis via Getty Images) Source Full size
  • None
    Image: BBC
    US Department of Justice Source Full size
  • Marius Borg Høiby, 29, is accused of 38 charges
    Image: BBC
    Marius Borg Høiby, 29, is accused of 38 charges (LISE ASERUD/NTB/AFP) Source Full size
  • Marius Borg Høiby (pictured here in 2022) is not a public figure, the palace says, and only appears with the royal family on special occasions
    Image: BBC
    Marius Borg Høiby (pictured here in 2022) is not a public figure, the palace says, and only appears with the royal family on special occasions (Rune Hellestad/Getty Images) Source Full size
  • Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit have made it clear they will not be attending the trial
    Image: BBC
    Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit have made it clear they will not be attending the trial (Corbis via Getty Images) Source Full size
  • Crown Princess Mette-Marit appeared in NRK's annual The Year with the Royal Family on Christmas Day in December
    Image: BBC
    Crown Princess Mette-Marit appeared in NRK's annual The Year with the Royal Family on Christmas Day in December (NRK) Source Full size
  • Tove Taalesen will be attending the seven-week trial as royal reporter for Norway's Nettavisen
    Image: BBC
    Tove Taalesen will be attending the seven-week trial as royal reporter for Norway's Nettavisen Source Full size
  • Princess Mette-Marit's son Marius appeared on the balcony with his mother and stepfather on the day they married in 2001
    Image: BBC
    Princess Mette-Marit's son Marius appeared on the balcony with his mother and stepfather on the day they married in 2001 (UK Press via Getty Images) Source Full size
  • None
    Image: BBC
    US justice department Source Full size
  • Norway’s Marius Borg Hoiby and Crown Princess Mette-Marit in Oslo, June 16, 2022.
    Image: Newsweek
    Norway’s Marius Borg Hoiby and Crown Princess Mette-Marit in Oslo, June 16, 2022. Source Full size

First Testimony and Denial of Rape Videos On 4 February 2026, Marius Borg Høiby, 29, appeared in Oslo District Court and told judges that the videos on his phone do not depict non‑consensual sex, breaking down in tears while speaking [1][2]. He pleaded not guilty to the four rape counts but admitted guilt to aggravated assault, reckless behaviour and several traffic offences, a partial‑guilty‑plea option allowed under Norwegian law [1][5]. The courtroom was closed to the public, with only a handful of journalists permitted in an adjoining room [2].

Charges and Potential Sentences Høiby faces a total of 38 criminal counts, including four rape charges, repeated sexual abuse, six counts of non‑consensual sexual filming, drug offences and numerous driving violations [1][4][7]. Convictions on the rape counts could carry sentences of at least ten years, while the full indictment could result in a combined term exceeding a decade [1][2][4]. The trial is scheduled to run for seven weeks, concluding on 19 March 2026 [1][4].

Evidence and Witness Claims Prosecutors presented a phone recording from a December 2018 after‑party at the Crown Prince’s Skaugum estate that allegedly shows Høiby performing a sex act on an unconscious woman [1][2]. The alleged victim testified that she experienced a “big black hole” in her memory, was completely unconscious in police footage, and believes she was drugged during the encounter [2][3]. Police also displayed video evidence of the victim appearing unconscious, though Høiby has not been charged with drugging anyone [2].

Royal Family’s Response and Public Opinion Crown Prince Haakon announced that neither he nor Crown Princess Mette‑Marit will attend the trial, emphasizing that Høiby is not a member of the Royal House and will be treated like any other Norwegian citizen [3][4][7]. The Crown Princess postponed a private trip after criticism over her past correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein, and she is currently battling pulmonary fibrosis with a pending lung‑transplant list [5][6][7]. Polls show monarchy support slipping to around 61 % from 72 % a year earlier, while a minority of Norwegians now oppose Mette‑Marit becoming queen [1][2][7].

Epstein Email Scandal Provides Wider Context U.S. Department of Justice files released in early February reveal over 900 email hits for Mette‑Marit, including messages that describe Epstein as “sweetheart” and discuss flirtatious topics [3][4][6]. The same documents link several Norwegian politicians—former PM Thorbjørn Jagland, current PM Jonas Gahr Støre, foreign minister Espen Barth Eide, and diplomats Mona Juul and Terje Rød‑Larsen—to the Epstein correspondence [3][4]. Prime Minister Støre publicly backed the Crown Princess’s apology, calling her judgment “poor” while refraining from further criticism [6].

Sources

Timeline

2011‑2014: Crown Princess Mette‑Marit exchanges hundreds of emails with Jeffrey Epstein, including a four‑night stay at his Palm Beach home in January 2013 and messages calling him “sweetheart” and “very charming,” later revealed in U.S. DOJ files and sparking renewed controversy over royal ties to the convicted sex offender[3][6]

Dec 2018: At an after‑party at the royal Skaugum estate, a woman has consensual sex with Marius Borg Høiby before experiencing a “big black hole” in her memory and appearing unconscious in police videos; she later testifies she was likely drugged, a claim supported by footage from Høiby’s phone[1][5]

Aug 2024: Høiby is detained for the first time after an alleged assault on a former partner, marking the start of a series of police detentions that will total four by early 2026[2]

Early Feb 2026 – DOJ releases Epstein files: The U.S. Justice Department publishes over 900 email hits showing the Crown Princess’s official address communicating with Epstein, reigniting scrutiny of the royal family’s past contacts[3][6]

Feb 1, 2026: Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre publicly backs the Crown Princess’s apology, saying he agrees she showed “poor judgement” in her Epstein contacts, while the Crown Princess issues a statement expressing regret and “deep sympathy” for Epstein’s victims[3]

Feb 1, 2026: Crown Princess Mette‑Marit’s health deteriorates as doctors place her on a lung‑transplant waiting list due to pulmonary fibrosis, adding personal strain amid the unfolding scandal[3][2]

Feb 1, 2026: A Norstat poll shows 73 % of Norwegians still support the monarchy despite the scandal, separating the trial from overall royal approval[4]

Feb 1, 2026: Norway’s parliament votes overwhelmingly to maintain the constitutional monarchy, reaffirming institutional support even as the trial and Epstein revelations dominate headlines[6]

Feb 1, 2026: Marius Borg Høiby appears in Oslo District Court for the start of a seven‑week rape trial, pleading not guilty to four rape counts among 38 charges, while the court bans photographs for seven weeks and the royal family announces they will not attend[4][6]

Feb 2, 2026: Oslo District Court remands Høiby in custody for four weeks, citing a risk of reoffending, and Crown Prince Haakon issues a statement expressing sympathy for the women and families involved[2]

Feb 3, 2026: Crown Princess Mette‑Marit postpones a private trip “until further notice” after criticism over hundreds of exchanged messages with Epstein, highlighting the personal impact of the scandal[1]

Feb 3, 2026: A Verdens Gang poll records the royal family’s popularity at 60.9 % and finds 44 % of Norwegians say Mette‑Marit should not become queen; a republican motion receives only 26 of 169 votes, indicating limited appetite for abolishing the monarchy[1]

Feb 3, 2026: The trial proceeds behind closed doors with limited media access; police‑obtained videos from Høiby’s phone are shown, and the witness describes being “completely unconscious,” reinforcing allegations of drugging[1]

Feb 4, 2026: A witness testifies that she was drugged during the 2018 assault, describing a “big black hole” in her memory and confirming she was unconscious when the alleged rape occurred[1]

Feb 4, 2026: Høiby testifies, breaking down in tears while denying that the videos on his phone show non‑consensual sex, and claims lifelong media pressure fuels risky behaviour; he admits guilt to aggravated assault and other lesser offences[5]

Feb 4, 2026: Prosecutors present a video from the 2018 after‑party allegedly showing Høiby having sex with an unconscious woman, while the defence argues the encounters were “completely normal and voluntary”[1][5]

Feb 4, 2026: The trial is scheduled to run until Mar 19, 2026, with a potential sentence of at least ten years if convicted on the rape counts[1][5]

Mar 19, 2026 (expected): The seven‑week trial of Marius Borg Høiby is set to conclude, determining whether he faces a multi‑year prison term and further impacting the monarchy’s public standing[5]

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