Prosecutors in Norway have laid out four rape charges against Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit, in what is one of the most high-profile court cases the country has seen in years.
A year and a half after his arrest following a violent incident at a woman’s apartment in Oslo, Borg Høiby appeared at Oslo District Court to hear the full list of 38 charges against him and to formally deny the rape allegations. He is not a member of the royal family, and his lawyer stressed that he is entitled to a fair trial, arguing that the intense media scrutiny surrounding the case has been far from normal.
The seven-week trial opened amid almost daily revelations involving both Borg Høiby and his mother. Crown Princess Mette-Marit has come under mounting criticism after her name appeared in hundreds of emails showing extensive contact with the late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. She has acknowledged showing “poor judgment,” and the fallout has already included at least one organization dropping her as patron of its annual prize.
Borg Høiby appeared in court dressed simply, wearing an ordinary sweater over a white T-shirt and olive-green trousers, later removing the sweater and sitting in just the T-shirt. On the eve of the trial, it emerged that he had been detained for a fourth time, this time on suspicion of assault, making threats with a knife, and violating a restraining order—circumstances similar to his original arrest. Police have placed him on remand for four weeks, meaning he began the trial in custody. His defense team plans to appeal that decision.
Strict restrictions have been imposed on the proceedings, including a ban on photographs of the defendant inside or outside the courtroom. The judge emphasized these rules to international media as the trial began.
As the charges were read out, Borg Høiby pleaded not guilty to the four rape accusations, speaking quietly in court. He partially admitted charges related to a woman in the Frogner area of western Oslo in August 2024, acknowledging bodily harm but denying abuse. He also admitted to several other charges, including violating a restraining order, transporting marijuana, and speeding.
The court heard that the four alleged rapes took place when the women involved were either asleep or incapacitated. The first is alleged to have occurred at an after-party in December 2018 in the basement of his parents’ home, when Borg Høiby was 21. The court has banned any details that could identify the four women named as victims, a point reinforced by the judge at the outset.
At times during the reading of the charges, Borg Høiby was seen fidgeting with a bracelet as state prosecutor Sturla Henriksbø outlined the allegations. Sitting opposite the prosecution were several of the women named as victims.
Defense lawyer Ellen Holager Andenæs argued that her client must be treated as innocent until proven otherwise, adding that it would be unsurprising for someone facing such a “tsunami of negative publicity over such a long time” to feel as though they were losing control of their life.
Members of the royal family are not attending the trial, which is being held in Courtroom 250 and has drawn enormous interest both in Norway and internationally. While King Harald V and Queen Sonja are due to travel to the Winter Olympics in Italy later this week, their absence has added to the sense of isolation surrounding Crown Prince Haakon’s stepson.
Borg Høiby was born four years before Mette-Marit married the crown prince. Although he is close to the family, he is not part of the royal household and is not considered a public figure.
He faces a total of 38 charges, including rape involving sexual intercourse with an unconscious woman in October 2023; three counts of rape by sexual assault on incapacitated women in December 2018, March 2024, and November 2024; six counts of sexually offensive conduct without consent, including filming victims; causing bodily harm; repeated abuse of a current or former partner through threats, coercion, or violence; violating a restraining order; transporting 3.5 kilograms of marijuana; and speeding.
Some of the abuse-related charges stem from incidents involving the so-called “Frogner woman,” and his most recent arrest is understood to be linked to her as well.
Borg Høiby is expected to give evidence for the first time on Wednesday. The case will be decided by three judges, and if he is found guilty, he could face a prison sentence of at least 10 years.
Meanwhile, attention has continued to focus on Crown Princess Mette-Marit. Although she suffers from a serious lung condition, it is her past contact with Epstein that has dominated public discussion in recent days. More than 900 emails published by U.S. authorities suggest an unusually informal exchange with Epstein, despite his status as a convicted sex offender. It has also emerged that she spent four days at his Florida home while he was not present.
The Sex and Society Foundation, which works on sexual and reproductive rights, has said it no longer wants Mette-Marit to serve as high patron for its annual Shameless Prize, arguing that the revelations are incompatible with its values. The decision has been widely seen as a blow to the future queen’s reputation.
Norway’s prime minister has urged the crown princess to fully explain the extent of her contacts with Epstein. Royal commentators say the issue is likely to follow her for the rest of her life, with some arguing that advisers and officials should have intervened earlier to prevent the situation.
Despite the controversy, Norway’s monarchy remains broadly popular. Recent opinion polling suggests strong public support, and lawmakers on Tuesday rejected a routine republican motion that surfaces every few years. Even so, critics say the case has placed both the royal family and Norway itself in an uncomfortable and highly public spotlight.
