Marius Borg Høiby, the 29-year-old son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, to appear in court on Tuesday to face dozens of criminal charges, marking one of the most serious legal crises involving the Norwegian royal family in modern times.
Høiby, who is the stepson of Crown Prince Haakon, is charged with rape, domestic violence, assault, drug possession, and other offenses. Prosecutors have filed 38 counts against him, some of which carry potential multi-year prison sentences if he is convicted.
According to prosecutors, the most serious allegations include one count of rape involving sexual intercourse and three additional counts of rape without intercourse. Authorities said some of the alleged acts were recorded on Høiby’s mobile phone.
Additional charges were added in January, including possession and transportation of 3.5 kilograms (7.7 pounds) of marijuana, according to court filings.
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Høiby’s lawyer, Petar Sekulic, told Reuters that his client rejects the accusations of rape and domestic violence but has acknowledged responsibility for some lesser offenses. “He does not admit criminal guilt for the charges of rape or domestic violence,” Sekulic said, adding that Høiby would address the allegations in detail during his testimony.
Høiby is expected to testify on Wednesday. The trial is scheduled to run through March 19.
The court proceedings follow Høiby’s arrest over the weekend on suspicion of causing bodily harm, threatening someone with a knife, and violating a restraining order. On Monday, a Norwegian court ruled that he could be held in custody for up to four weeks.
His lawyer said an appeal of the detention order is under consideration.
Crown Prince Haakon confirmed that neither he nor Crown Princess Mette-Marit plans to attend the trial, saying in a statement that he trusts Norway’s justice system to handle the case appropriately. “We love him, he is an important part of our family,” Haakon said. “He is a Norwegian citizen, so he has the same responsibilities as everyone else, as well as the same rights.”
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The crown prince also expressed sympathy for those affected by the case. “We think about them, and we know many are going through a difficult time,” he said.
The trial comes amid heightened scrutiny of the royal household. Days earlier, Crown Princess Mette-Marit publicly apologized for what she described as “poor judgment” in maintaining contact with the late U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein after his 2008 conviction for child sex crimes.
Historian Trond Noren Isaksen described the case as the most severe challenge faced by the Norwegian monarchy in peacetime, even though Høiby is not a working royal.
Norway operates as a constitutional monarchy, with the king serving as head of state while political authority rests with parliament and the government.
