Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s son faces up to ten years in prison as state prosecutor reveals alleged victims were assaulted whilst sleeping
Norway’s royal family has been plunged into scandal as Marius Borg Høiby, the 28-year-old son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit and stepson to heir to the throne Crown Prince Haakon, appeared in court on Monday charged with 32 criminal offences including four counts of rape.
The disgraced royal faces up to ten years in prison following what prosecutors say will be a six-week trial beginning in mid-January, State Attorney Sturla Henriksbø told Norwegian broadcaster NRK.
Presenting the indictment on Monday, Henriksbø said: “This case is very serious. Rape and violence in close relationships are very serious acts that can leave lasting traces and destroy lives.”
Disturbing Pattern of Alleged ‘Sleep Rapes’
The four rape charges involve different women between 2018 and 2024, with prosecutors revealing a deeply disturbing pattern – all four alleged rapes occurred whilst the victims were sleeping, and Høiby allegedly filmed the assaults.
All the four rapes Høiby is charged with are characterised as sleep rapes,” Henriksbø told reporters at Monday’s press conference. He allegedly assaulted the women while they slept, whilst simultaneously filming the assaults.
The prosecutor added that these recordings “are central evidence being used against him” in the case.
Catalogue of Alleged Offences
The 32 charges against Høiby include:
- Four counts of rape against different women
- Abuse in a close relationship against his former partner Nora Haukland
- Several acts of violence against another former partner
- Death threats
- Assault of a public official
- Five traffic violations
- Illegal filming of multiple women’s intimate areas without their knowledge or consent
Police say they investigated 16 different sexual offence cases during their year-long investigation, with evidence drawn from text messages, witness testimonies, and searches of digital storage devices containing images and videos.
Royal Family Remains Silent
The Norwegian Royal House has declined to comment on the charges, stating only that the case is proceeding through the legal system and they have nothing to add.
Henriksbø emphasised: “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.
History of Arrests and Allegations
Høiby has been under scrutiny since he was first arrested on 4 August 2024 on suspicion of assaulting his then-girlfriend Rebecca Helberg Arntsen, who was hospitalised following the incident. Her legal team has since denied they were in a relationship.
A week after his arrest, Høiby released a statement via his lawyer admitting to the assault, saying he suffered from “several mental disorders” and had “struggled with substance abuse for a long time.”
In the statement, he said: “Last weekend something happened that should never have happened. I committed bodily harm and destroyed objects in an apartment in the intoxication of alcohol and cocaine after an argument.”
Controversial ‘Skaugum Festivals’
According to reports, Høiby allegedly hosted wild parties dubbed “Skaugum Festivals” at the royal estate, where drugs were consumed and criminal associates, including members of the Hells Angels gang, were invited. Some of the alleged rapes are said to have occurred at these events.
Norwegian politician Jan Bøhler wrote that “a member of the royal family has for years vacationed and partied with central figures in drug-related crime” at these gatherings on Crown Prince property.
No Official Royal Role
Høiby was born in 1997 from Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s relationship with convicted felon Morten Borg, before her 2001 marriage to Crown Prince Haakon. He has no official public role but was raised alongside his royal half-siblings Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 21, and Prince Sverre Magnus, 19.
Once known affectionately as “Little Marius,” Høiby grew up in the public eye enjoying the same wealth and privilege as his royal siblings. However, his biological father served time in prison for drugs and violent offences.
Defence Claims Innocence
Høiby’s lawyer, Petar Sekulic, said his client “is absolutely taking the accusations very seriously, but doesn’t acknowledge any wrongdoing in most of the cases — especially the cases regarding sexual abuse and violence.”
The defence team maintains that whilst the number of alleged victims was “in the double digits during the investigation,” this has now been reduced to seven, with the remaining allegations dropped.
Royal Reputation at Stake
The scandal has cast a dark shadow over Norway’s popular royal family. Crown Princess Mette-Marit herself attracted controversy when she married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001, as a single mother with a reputation as a partygoer who had previously been in relationships with convicted criminals.
Support for the monarchy in Norway has fallen in recent times, partly in response to the allegations surrounding Høiby.
Høiby remains free pending trial, with prosecutors saying there is currently no reason to arrest and jail him. Since the scandal erupted, he has reportedly spent time in rehabilitation clinics in London and has been spotted in Copenhagen and Portugal, almost unrecognisable with dyed hair, sunglasses and hoodies.
The state prosecutor estimates the trial could begin in mid-January 2025 and take approximately six weeks to complete. If convicted on all charges, Høiby faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison.
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