Royal rape trial, and lung transplant, could spell the end of princess’ Australian plans

Analysis: In a matter of days, the stepson of Norway’s next king will learn his fate following a seven-week criminal trial that has cast a dark shadow across one of Europe’s smallest, and oldest, monarchies.

The rape trial of Marius Borg Høiby quickly become Norway’s biggest in years when it began on February 3, captivating the Scandinavian country and propelling the House of Glücksburg, which has ruled since 1905, into an unwelcome spotlight.

“The trial has, of course, not been good for the royal family at all,” Norwegian historian and author Trond Norén Isaksen told nine.com.au

“Marius Borg Høiby is not formally a member of the royal family, but the fact he has been raised by the crown prince and crown princess means he is closely associated with the royal family and the trial has reflected badly on them, especially those who raised him.”

Høiby, 29, is Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s son from a previous relationship. He was four when his mother married Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon in 2001. After the wedding, his new stepfather held him in his arms during an appearance on the royal palace balcony.

Though he’s never held a royal title or carried out official duties, Høiby was raised alongside the couple’s two other children Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 22, and Prince Sverre Magnus, 20, at the family’s private estate, Skaugum, just outside of Oslo.

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He was a fixture at family-related events with King Harald V, 89, and Queen Sonja, 88, and the crown prince couple over the years, including Norway’s biggest celebration, Constitution Day.

In 2017, Høiby stepped back from public life after struggling to establish a role for himself, having been part of the royal family but without a title.

He soon found himself in trouble with the law and later spoke about his mental health issues and battles with alcohol and drugs. When Høiby was arrested in August 2024 he became the first member of Norway’s royal family to be charged with a crime.

Høiby is accused of 38 charges, including the rape of four women, assaulting and threatening a girlfriend and damaging her apartment, as well as drugs charges and driving offences.

He denies the most serious charges but has pleaded guilty to some of the lesser offences, which include a drugs charge, traffic offences and breaching a restraining order.

If found guilty on Monday, Høiby faces at least seven years in prison, though his legal team have called for a lesser sentence, arguing he’s lived under extraordinary media pressure due to his royal connections, which they said has shaped public perception of the case.

On the second day of his trial, Høiby told the court: “I am known for being Mamma’s son. Nothing else.”

Høiby’s mother and stepfather did not attend court as the royal family attempted to maintain its distance from the spectacle. Days before the trial, began Crown Prince Haakon affirmed his support for “all the parties involved” including the victims and Høiby.

This week, the king was asked by a journalist about the trial but refused to comment, saying instead it was up to the legal system to decide.

To say Norway’s monarchy has had a challenging few years would be an understatement. Unfortunately for the royal family, the situation is only looking more dire.

A week ago, the Royal House confirmed Crown Princess Mette-Marit had been put on the waiting list for a lung transplant after a recent deterioration in her health. The 52-year-old was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018, a condition that causes scarring in the lungs and makes breathing difficult, with one doctor likening it to breathing through a straw.

She has been wearing a nasal tube connected to an oxygen tank to help her breathe at recent royal engagements and in private including when she was photographed visiting her son in prison last week.

A lung transplant is the only treatment available to save her life.

Since marrying int the royal family 25 years ago, Crown Princess Mette-Marit has endeared herself to Norwegians after a shaky start. Days before the wedding in 2001, Mette-Marit apologised for her rebellious past and “wild life” in an emotional press conference.

“The trial of Marius Borg Høiby has made some people question the crown princess’ parental skills and also reminded people of her own wild youth,” Isaksen said.

Over the years, much has been made in the Norwegian press about Høiby’s biological father Morten Borg, who has largely kept out of the spotlight. Borg – an entrepreneur and once prominent figure on the Oslo party scene – previously spent time in jail for drug offences. Some reports suggest Borg was in prison when his son was born.

Mette-Marit was soon embraced by Norwegians after committing herself to her royal work, championing humanitarian causes and the arts.

But in recent months, support for the crown princess plunged drastically after her past friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was exposed.

The revelations, made public in files released by the US Justice Department, “caused much disappointment and anger” Isaksen said.

Soon after, a poll found nearly half of Norwegians viewed Mette-Marit as unsuitable for the role of queen.

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She has apologised twice and described her contact with Epstein as having showed “poor judgement”, admitting it was “simply embarrassing”. In a television interview in March, the crown princess claimed she was “manipulated and deceived” by him.

In late May, the crown prince answered questions from the media about his wife’s connection to Epstein. By doing so, “some of the edge has now been taken off that ... sufficient to close the issue for now” Isaksen said.

Now, Mette-Marit’s health crisis has resulted in a renewed wave of public compassion.

“The Crown Princess is desperately ill, indeed fighting for her life, which has, of course, given her much sympathy,” Isaksen said. “I believe this will blunt the effect of a potential tough verdict for her son.”

On Wednesday the Court of Appeal overruled a decision from earlier in the week to release Høiby from prison, with an ankle monitor, so he could spend time with his sick mother as he awaits the verdict in the rape trial.

“Every Sunday when we meet in prison, I know that it could be the last time I see her,” Høiby told the District Court, referring to the weekly visits his mother and stepfather have made to him in Oslo prison.

“You never know when a lung will come and there is a great risk associated with such an operation. I’m having an extremely tough time. Sitting inside while I know my mum is so sick is unbearable.”

The appeals court rejected his bid for freedom, citing the risk of reoffending and even relapsing, referring to Høiby’s past substance addictions. His lawyers said they were “very, very disappointed” describing the decision as “almost incomprehensible”. They said it showed a “lack of understanding of the seriousness of the situation”.

He’ll soon be moved to Ila Prison, a maximum security facility housing Norway’s worst offenders, as Oslo Prison is due to be demolished. The relocation will put Høiby closer to his family home.

There has been some criticism of the appeals court’s decision in light of Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s health. She will receive a lung transplant as soon as a suitable donor became available; the operation could happen in days, or months with very little notice given to her relatives, including Høiby.

Høiby was recently allowed to attend a meeting between his family and Mette-Marit’s medical team outside of prison where they were briefed about the transplant process, including the risks involved.

Princess’ Australian future in ‘doubt’

Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s lung transplant will have implications for the wider royal family, who have far fewer so-called working royals than in other monarchies across Europe.

The elderly king and queen have both been in an out of hospital recently due to heart issues and infection but, remarkably, still carry out public engagements.

The crown prince will reduce his own workload while Crown Princess Mette-Marit has the surgery. She faces a long recovery and will be absent from official duties indefinitely, the Royal House said.

On Wednesday Høiby’s sister Princess Ingrid Alexandra made her first public appearance since returning to Norway from Australia where she had been a student at Sydney University.

She was joined by her younger brother in what was the first of many more public engagements expected to be carried out by the young princess and prince as they take on a bigger workload to help the rest of the royal family.

“It seems quite clear that both she and her brother Prince Sverre Magnus will face greater responsibilities,” Isaksen said.

“Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus are the only ones who can step in and take some of the burden off their father’s shoulders.”

Princess Ingrid Alexandra, who is second-in-line to the throne after her father, moved to Australia in late July to begin a three-year degree at Sydney University. In May, she carried out her first public − and possibly last − engagement in Australia.

Last week Ingrid Alexandra returned home to be with her mother and will continue her degree on exchange at the University of Oslo. Although the crown prince told the media his daughter does plan on returning to Australia to finish her degree, Isaksen isn’t so sure.

“In the time to come they [Ingrid Alexandra and Sverre Magnus] will both be needed to keep the wheels of the monarchy turning and I personally doubt it will be possible for the princess to resume her studies in Australia, as Sydney is simply too far away from Oslo for her to be able to combine her studies with royal duties.”

The monarchy is undoubtedly dealing with its toughest period in generations, facing scandal and scrutiny on multiple fronts.

‘Too early to write the monarchy’s obituary’

Affection for King Harald, who has been on the throne for 35 years, remains high with an approval rating of nine out of 10.

Support for the Norwegian monarchy was at 70 per cent late last year, but in February it dropped to 60 per cent, the lowest ever figure, because of the issues facing its key members.

Also causing a headache for the king is his outspoken daughter Princess Märtha Louise who, with her American husband Shaman Durek Verrett, exploited their royal connections in the 2025 Netflix documentary Rebel Royals, renewing calls for the princess to be stripped of her titles.

Høiby’s trial risks tarnishing the latter years of the king’s reign having already damaged the royal family’s reputation both in Norway and globally.

Late last year royal correspondent from Norway’s national broadcaster NRK, Kristi Marie Skrede, told nine.com.au that questions had been raised by some commentators about the monarchy’s future.

“Some people say this is the beginning of the end,” Skrede said. “There are people saying King Harald should be the last king.”

Isaksen, however, said the institution of monarchy was greater than its current problems.

“The king will certainly not be the last monarch, as abolishing it would involve a process that would take many years and he is 89 and universally beloved by the people.

“Whether the monarchy will survive in the future depends on the behaviour of the royals and whether they manage to fill their roles in a way that makes the monarchy seem relevant and purposeful to the people.

“The last years have been difficult, but it’s too early to write the monarchy’s obituary.”

As for the implications of Høiby’s trial and verdict on the royals, Isaksen pointed to his place within the royal family.

“He, unlike his sister, is not the future of the monarchy,” he said.

“Some of the damage can surely be repaired, and the royal family have recently shown a willingness to make some changes in order to move forward, but it is possible that the criminal case against the future king’s stepson may long linger in people’s memories.”