Son of Norway crown princess to stand trial for rape

Norway's Marius Borg Hoiby and Crown Princess Mette-Marit in Oslo, June 16, 2022. (Lise Aserud/NTB via AP)

OSLO, Norway -- In the biggest scandal to rock Norway’s monarchy, the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit goes on trial Tuesday accused of raping four women, as well as drug and assault offences.

Marius Borg Hoiby, Mette-Marit’s 29-year-old son from a relationship before she married Crown Prince Haakon, has been charged with a total of 38 counts, some of which date back to 2018.

He faces up to 16 years in prison if the Oslo district court finds him guilty. The trial, scheduled to last until March 19, is expected to attract intense media coverage.

“When it comes to the Norwegian royal family, it is without a doubt the biggest scandal” in its 120-year history, Trond Noren Isaksen, a historian and expert on Norway’s monarchy, told AFP.

“There have been controversies surrounding the choice of spouses, about renovations of the palace and these kinds of things, but never any real scandals involving criminal offences, let alone so many,” he said.

The most serious charges against Hoiby are the four rapes and the physical and psychological abuse of several ex-girlfriends.

He has so far only confessed to some of the more minor charges.

“Hoiby is saving his version of events for the court,” the law firm defending him told AFP.

Filmed rapes

A tall strapping blond who cultivates a “bad boy” look with slicked back hair, earrings, rings and tattoos, Hoiby was arrested on August 4, 2024 suspected of assaulting his girlfriend the night before.

Several days later, he admitted he had acted “under the influence of alcohol and cocaine after an argument,” having suffered from “mental troubles” and struggling “for a long time with substance abuse.”

The investigation into that incident uncovered a slew of other suspected offences, including the rapes of four women while they were sleeping or passed out drunk, some of which he filmed.

The four rapes allegedly took place in 2018, 2023 and 2024, the last one after the police investigation began.

Last week, police announced six new counts against him, including a “serious narcotics offence” from 2020 in which he transported 3.5 kilos of marijuana, without financial compensation. He has confessed to that crime.

The case has brought to light the bad company kept by Hoiby, who has no royal title, no official role and no professional career. The crown prince couple provide for him financially.

It has also deeply embarrassed the royal family, especially his mother Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who suffers from an incurable lung illness and who is torn between her role as mother and future queen.

“We are thinking a lot about all the parties concerned in this case,” Crown Prince Haakon told reporters on Wednesday, saying he was confident the court would act “in the most orderly, correct and fair manner possible.”

Neither he nor Mette-Marit plan to attend the trial, he said.

Tarnished crown

Prosecutor Sturla Henriksbo has insisted that all people are equal in the eyes of the law, “regardless of their social status, origin or family ties.”

“This means that Hoiby should neither be treated more leniently nor more severely because of his family” affiliations, he told AFP.

He said the most serious crimes carry sentences of up to 10 years behind bars, which can be raised to a maximum of 16 years if the court finds him guilty on several counts.

The scandal -- which comes on top of the antics of Princess Martha Louise, Haakon’s older sister who married a self-proclaimed American shaman in 2024 -- has tarnished the royal family’s image, though it still remains very popular in Norway.

An opinion poll published on Wednesday by public broadcaster NRK suggested that 70 percent of those questioned support the monarchy, compared to 81 percent in 2017.

“People feel compassion for an ageing royal couple, who are obviously completely innocent in this matter,” Carl-Erik Grimstad, a former palace employee-turned-author said in reference to King Harald and Queen Sonja, both 88 years old and seen as unifying figures for the nation.

And “in times of geopolitical turbulence, people often rally around the symbols closest to them,” he added.

The verdict is expected several weeks after the end of the trial.

By Pierre-Henry Deshayes, AFP

If you or someone you know is struggling with sexual assault or trauma, the following resources are available to support people in crisis:

• Call 911 if you are in immediate danger or fear for your safety.
• The Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres' website has a comprehensive list of sexual assault centres in Canada that offer information, advocacy and counselling. 
• The Ending Violence Association of Canada‘s website has links to helplines, support services and locations across Canada that offer sexual assault kits.
• Indian Residential School Survivors Society crisis lines: [phone] or [phone] (24/7)
• Toronto Rape Crisis Centre crisis line: [phone] (24/7)
• Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline: [phone] (24/7)
• Trans Lifeline: [phone]
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: call or text 988 (24/7)
• Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre for current and former Canadian Armed Forces members: [phone]
• Read about your rights as a victim on the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime website.