Son of Norway’s crown princess charged with 32 offences, including rape
Global News
Marius Borg Høiby, the eldest son of Norway’s crown princess and stepson of the heir to the throne, could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
The son of Mette-Marit, Norway’s crown princess, has been indicted on multiple charges, including rape, following his arrest in November 2024.
Oslo state attorney Sturla Henriksbø said Marius Borg Høiby could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. The 32 counts include rape, abuse in a close relationship against a former partner and acts of violence against another. Other charges include making death threats and traffic violations.
“These are very serious acts that can leave lasting scars and destroy lives,” the prosecutor said.
“The fact that Marius Borg Høiby is a member of the royal family should, of course, not mean that he should be treated more lightly or more severely than if similar acts had been committed by others,” Henriksbø added.
Høiby, the eldest son of Norway’s crown princess and stepson of the heir to the throne, Crown Prince Haakon, has been under scrutiny since he was repeatedly arrested in 2024 amid allegations of rape and on preliminary charges of bodily harm and criminal damage.
He is currently free pending trial, and Henriksbø said there is currently no reason to arrest and jail him. The Norwegian prosecutors’ office estimates that the trial could begin in mid-January and take around six weeks.
Høiby was born before the princess’s 2001 marriage to the crown prince and therefore does not hold a royal title or carry out official duties. His defence team has said that he takes the accusations seriously but doesn’t acknowledge any wrongdoing in most of the cases, particularly those regarding sexual abuse and violence.
The royal palace said that it was up to the courts to handle the case and reach a decision, and it had nothing to add beyond that.
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