Marius Borg Høiby, the 29-year-old eldest son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, is set to stand trial Tuesday on 38 criminal charges, including rape, violence, threats and drug offenses, in a case that has cast a heavy shadow over the Norwegian royal family.
Høiby, who has no royal title or official duties, is the son of Mette-Marit from a previous relationship and the stepson of Crown Prince Haakon, the heir to the throne.
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Marius Borg Høiby and Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit
(Photo: Ragnar Singsaas/ Getty Images)
According to the indictment, one of the most serious charges involves the alleged rape of television presenter Linni Meister during a private gathering in 2018 at the basement of Skaugum estate, the royal family’s residence. Prosecutors allege the assault occurred while Meister was unconscious.
Police said the case came to light after investigators discovered three videos and more than 10 photographs documenting the incident, which were stored on Høiby’s computer. Meister reportedly learned of the alleged assault only after Oslo police contacted her to present the evidence.
“I understand that many people want information about the case, but I will not comment beyond confirming that it is true,” Meister wrote on social media. “I want to protect myself and my family. This has to end. I hope he gets help.”
The indictment includes 38 counts, among them rape, abuse in a close relationship against a former partner, acts of violence against another partner, possession and transport of 3.5 kilograms of marijuana, death threats and traffic offenses.
Just two days before the trial, police arrested Høiby again on suspicion of assault, threats with a knife and violation of a restraining order. Oslo police requested his detention for four weeks, citing the risk of further offenses. The Oslo District Court approved the request.
An Oslo police prosecutor confirmed the arrest, saying Høiby was taken into custody Sunday evening. His defense lawyer said the arrest followed an alleged incident involving another person and that Høiby denies the allegations. The defense team is considering an appeal.
Prosecutors said Høiby could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. The trial is scheduled to continue until mid-March, with parts of the proceedings to be held behind closed doors.
Høiby’s defense team said he denies all charges of sexual abuse and most of the violence allegations.
The case has drawn renewed attention to Crown Princess Mette-Marit just days after new documents were released from the Jeffrey Epstein files, in which her name appeared hundreds of times. Norwegian media reported that the documents revived scrutiny of her past contact with the convicted sex offender.
In 2019, Mette-Marit publicly apologized for her association with Epstein, saying she regretted the contact and had shown poor judgment.
“I must take responsibility for not investigating Epstein’s background more thoroughly,” she said at the time. “I regret having had any contact with him. It is simply embarrassing.”
Crown Prince Haakon said last week that he and Mette-Marit do not plan to attend the trial and that the royal household will not comment during the proceedings.
While Norway’s monarchy remains broadly popular, the combination of Høiby’s criminal case and the renewed focus on Epstein-related disclosures has placed the royal family under intense public scrutiny during one of its most challenging periods in recent years.