Norway royal trial: Crown Princess's son faces rape charges in major case

Prosecutors in Oslo district court detailed four charges of rape among the 38 accusations facing Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit. He appeared in court to deny the most serious charges, as the seven-week trial opened in courtroom 250. A ban on photos of the defendant inside or outside the court was imposed, underscoring the sensitivity of the case. The hearing also heard evidence related to an alleged 2018 rape in Frogner, western Oslo, with Høiby partly admitting bodily harm but denying the rape allegations.

The case has dominated public attention in Norway, in part because it intersects with royal family scrutiny. Crown Princess Mette-Marit has faced criticism after reports that she was cited in hundreds of emails showing extensive contact with Jeffrey Epstein. The fallout, including at least one patronage being dropped from a prize, has added pressure to the palace in a year already full of controversy.

Høiby, who is not a member of the royal family himself, arrived at court in plain clothes—a white T-shirt and olive-green trousers—later switching to a simple shirt. His lawyer said he is a young man who deserves a fair trial and condemned press treatment surrounding the case. Prosecutors described the prosecution of the four rape charges at the center of the opening proceedings, with the defendant listening quietly as the allegations were read aloud and he occasionally fiddled with a bracelet.

Court restrictions will continue as the seven-week trial proceeds, with testimony from witnesses and more evidence expected to be presented. The proceedings mark one of the biggest legal confrontations in Norway in recent years and will likely shape public debate about the royal family and questions of accountability.

#NorwayNews #RoyalFamily #RapeTrial