Norway’s royal family faces a double scandal as Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s son stands trial for rape, while newly released files reveal her name appeared up to 1,000 times in Jeffrey Epstein’s documents.
When Timing Becomes the Story
Marius Borg Høiby’s arrest delivered a calculated message from Oslo police. Hauling in the Crown Princess’s son mere hours before his rape trial suggests prosecutors believe he poses an active threat. The new charges paint a disturbing picture: assault, knife threats, and violating restraining orders meant to protect former partners. Police requested four weeks’ detention, citing clear reoffending risk. This arrest follows a pattern of escalating behavior throughout 2024, when Høiby faced multiple arrests before his August indictment. The timing strips away any illusion that royal proximity offers protection in Norway’s legal system.
The Epstein Shadow Lengthens
Friday’s document release dropped a bombshell on the Norwegian royal house. Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s name appears between 500 and 1,000 times in Jeffrey Epstein’s files, far exceeding the typical frequency of contact. The palace confirmed what the documents revealed: she stayed at his Palm Beach mansion in early 2013, facilitated by a mutual friend. Email exchanges between 2011 and 2014 show sustained contact, though the palace insists she never visited his infamous island. Saturday, Mette-Marit issued a statement calling her Epstein association “embarrassing” and “poor judgment,” echoing regrets she first expressed in 2019 when his crimes became impossible to ignore.
Thirty-Eight Counts of Reckoning
The indictment against Høiby reads like a catalog of domestic terror. Four alleged rapes between 2018 and November 2024 form the prosecution’s core. Beyond sexual assault, charges include abuse in close relationships, violence against multiple former partners, death threats, transporting 3.5 kilograms of marijuana, and traffic violations. Two former girlfriends hold restraining orders against him, orders he allegedly violated before Sunday’s arrest. His defense denies all sexual abuse charges and most violence allegations, acknowledging only lesser offenses. The trial runs through mid-March at the Oslo District Court, where prosecutors seek a maximum 16-year sentence. Høiby’s lawyers remain unreachable for comment, leaving his defense strategy unclear as proceedings begin.
#BREAKING || 🚨Strip away the crown and read the charge sheet.
Marius Borg Høiby—son of Mette-Marit—faces 32 offenses, including four counts of rape, alleged assaults on sleeping women over years, domestic abuse, violence, and repeated violations of restraining orders.
In… pic.twitter.com/ut3xUDKY8U
— PULSE (@Pulsebyshinde) February 2, 2026
Royal Distance and Democratic Justice
Crown Prince Haakon drew a hard line last week: neither he nor Mette-Marit would attend the trial or offer commentary. His reasoning cuts to the heart of Norway’s democratic principles. Høiby holds no royal title, carries no official duties, and enjoys no special legal status despite his mother’s crown. Haakon emphasized that his stepson faces the same rights and responsibilities as any Norwegian citizen, a stance that honors both judicial independence and public expectations. The Crown Prince expressed confidence that the trial would proceed fairly, suggesting faith in Norway’s legal system to handle the case without royal interference. This hands-off approach protects institutional integrity while acknowledging the obvious: family ties don’t erase when courtroom doors close.
Pattern Recognition and Public Trust
Multiple arrests throughout 2024 established Høiby as a repeat offender before his trial even started. Each incident added charges, each release preceded new allegations, building prosecutorial justification for detention. The pattern suggests either profound disregard for legal consequences or inability to control violent impulses toward intimate partners. Either interpretation terrifies when combined with rape allegations spanning six years. For Norway’s royals, already navigating Princess Märtha Louise’s controversial 2024 marriage to a self-proclaimed shaman and her commercial ventures, Høiby’s criminality compounds reputational damage. The convergence of his trial with Epstein revelations creates a crisis of association for one of Europe’s most beloved royal families.
The Epstein Question Nobody Wants
Appearing hundreds to 1,000 times in Epstein’s files demands explanation beyond “mutual friend introductions.” That volume of mentions suggests sustained interaction over years, as confirmed by the palace’s admission of contact during 2011-2014 and the documented 2013 Palm Beach stay. Mette-Marit’s 2019 regret statement followed Epstein’s arrest and subsequent death, a timeline suggesting reactive damage control rather than proactive conscience. Her Saturday statement attempts accountability, expressing sympathy for victims while taking responsibility for poor judgment. Yet questions persist: What drew a crown princess into Epstein’s orbit? What did those email exchanges contain? Why maintain contact across three years? The palace’s confirmation that she never visited his island offers narrow reassurance when the broader association remains deeply troubling.
NEW:
🇺🇸🇸🇯 Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit name appears several hundred times in the Epstein files:
"You always make me smile… Because you tickle my brain." – she wrote to Epstein pic.twitter.com/uG3X3dNOvn
— Megatron (@Megatron_ron) January 31, 2026
Norway’s monarchy has built its popularity on accessibility and democratic values, positioning itself as the people’s royals rather than distant aristocrats. That image faces its severest test as Høiby’s trial unfolds alongside scrutiny of Epstein.
The combination exposes uncomfortable truths about proximity to power, the judgment of those who wield it, and whether accountability applies equally when royal blood flows through family trees. Mette-Marit’s regrets ring hollow without a deeper explanation of what exactly required regret. Haakon’s principled distance protects the judicial process while sidestepping harder questions about family enabling. For Norwegian citizens watching their popular royals stumble through scandal, the real trial may be whether trust survives the verdict.
Sources:
Son of Norway’s crown princess arrested before his trial on rape and other charges – ABC News
Son of Norway’s crown princess arrested on new allegations the day before his rape trial – CBS News
Norwegian crown princess’ son detained ahead of rape trial – Euronews