Marius Borg Hoiby, 29, son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit, faces 38 fees and years in jail
Marius Borg Hoiby is on his method to a gathering together with his lawyer in Oslo on Monday afternoon, after he was charged with new offences in Oslo, Norway January 19, 2026. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
The son of Norway’s crown princess pleaded not responsible to rape and home violence on Tuesday however admitted to some lesser fees on the primary day of a trial that has shaken the already embattled royal household.
Marius Borg Hoiby, 29, the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit and stepson of Crown Prince Haakon, faces 38 criminal charges and might be sentenced to a number of years in jail if convicted of essentially the most severe allegations.
Because the trial opened, a ballot confirmed declining public assist for Norway’s monarchy, historically among the many strongest in Europe.
The proceedings come days after Hoiby’s mom apologised for her “poor judgment” in sustaining contact with late United States intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein after his 2008 conviction.
No particular therapy prosecutor says
Hoiby pleaded not responsible to 4 counts of rape and one depend of home violence. He pleaded responsible to 1 depend of offensive sexual behaviour, in addition to fees together with dashing and driving with out a legitimate licence.
He additionally entered a partial responsible plea – permitted beneath Norwegian legislation – to aggravated assault and reckless behaviour.
After a quick adjournment, Hoiby returned to court docket sporting a brown jumper over a white T-shirt, darkish inexperienced trousers and white trainers, sitting behind his attorneys together with his arms clasped tightly and his physique visibly shaking at instances.
A courtroom sketch reveals Marius Borg Hoiby through the first day of the trial in opposition to him, which takes place on the Oslo District Courtroom in Oslo, Norway February 3, 2026. REUTERS
Lead prosecutor Sturla Henriksboe stated Hoiby would obtain no particular therapy. “He won’t be dealt with more durable or milder as a result of he’s a part of this household,” Henriksboe stated in his opening assertion.
Hoiby’s lawyer, Ellen Holager Andenaes, disputed that assertion, saying her shopper had been handled unfairly.
“The press protection – which defendant sees 10,000 press articles written about him? … He has skilled books being written about him and extra are coming,” she advised the court docket. “Our shopper has completely not acquired regular therapy.”
Learn Extra: Son of Norway crown princess to face trial for rape
Crown Prince Haakon stated in a press release that he and his spouse wouldn’t attend the trial.
“We love him. He is a vital a part of our household,” he stated, including that Hoiby, as a Norwegian citizen, has the identical rights and duties as others. He additionally expressed sympathy for the alleged victims.
Household hit by travails and scandals
The case represents essentially the most severe disaster to hit Norway’s royal household in peacetime, in response to historian Trond Noren Isaksen. Hoiby doesn’t maintain a royal title and isn’t within the line of succession.
On Tuesday, Norway’s parliament voted overwhelmingly to retain the monarchy, rejecting a proposal to change into a republic. Nonetheless, an opinion ballot printed by newspaper Verdens Gang confirmed assist for the monarchy falling to 61% from 72% final yr, whereas backing for a republic rose to 27%.
The royal household has confronted a sequence of challenges lately. King Harald, 88, Europe’s oldest reigning monarch, lowered his public duties in 2024 after being hospitalised with an an infection and later receiving a pacemaker.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit has pulmonary fibrosis and will require a lung transplant. King Harald’s daughter, Princess Martha Louise, stepped again from royal duties in 2022 to pursue personal enterprise ventures together with her American husband, a self-described shaman. The couple drew criticism final yr for showing in a Netflix documentary about their lives.
A number of fees
Among the many fees in opposition to Hoiby are one depend of rape involving sexual activity and three counts of rape with out intercourse, a few of which prosecutors stated had been filmed on his cell phone.
In January, authorities added new fees, together with possession and transportation of three.5 kilogrammes of marijuana. Police additionally beforehand named Hoiby as a suspect in a 2024 assault in opposition to a former associate.
Hoiby stated on the time that he had triggered bodily hurt whereas beneath the affect of cocaine and alcohol and broken the lady’s residence, expressing remorse for his actions.
On Sunday, police detained Hoiby on suspicion of inflicting bodily hurt, wielding a knife and breaching a restraining order.
