Norwegian court announces when crown princess's son will learn his fate after lengthy rape, assault trial
The son of Norway's crown princess will learn his fate in a matter of weeks with a court announcing it will deliver its verdict in the trial that has cast a dark shadow over the royal family and captivated interest from around the world.
The Oslo District Court said the verdict in the case of Marius Borg Høiby will be delivered on June 15.
Høiby, 29, denies the most serious charges, which include four counts of rape and assault.
Marius Borg Høiby, pictured with his mother Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Crown Prince Haakon and Princess Ingrid Alexandra, is facing up to seven years in prison. Getty
He is charged with 40 offences in total, including four counts of rape between 2018 and 2024.
Høiby has pleaded guilty to some of the lesser offences, which include a drugs charge, traffic offences and breaching a restraining order.
Prosecutors have requested a jail term of seven years and seven months, arguing Høiby should be found guilty of 39 of the 40 charges he is accused of.
The trial began in February and lasted seven weeks, ending on March 19.
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Høiby was arrested in August, 2024, and the trial has captivated Norwegians and the world. AP
Høiby's defence team said that there was no evidence to support the rape charges. He has, however, admitted to lesser offenses, including drug possession, transporting 3.5 kilograms of marijuana in 2020, traffic violations and breaches of a restraining order involving a former partner.
He has also partially admitted to acts related to violence and threats but disputes key aspects of those allegations, including intent.
His lawyers said that a maximum sentence of 18 months would be appropriate for the charges he has admitted to.
Høiby grew up with the Norwegian royal family. He is pictured with the King and Queen, and the Crown Prince family, here in 2022. Kimm Saatvedt/The Royal House of Norway
They claim Høiby has lived under extraordinary media pressure due to his royal connections, which they said has shaped public perception of the case.
Høiby was a toddler when his mother married the heir to Norway's throne in 2001.
He is not a member of Norway's Royal House or a public figure, but grew up as part of the royal family, attending many events with the King and Queen and the Crown Prince couple over the years.
Last week, Høiby pleaded with a judge to be released on bail so he could spend more time with his mother, who is battling a chronic lung condition.
His legal team had requested Høiby be released to a home on the royal estate at Skaugum west of Oslo, where his mother Crown Princess Mette-Marit and stepfather Crown Prince Haakon live, with an ankle monitor to track his movements.
Høiby told Judge Hans Nikolai Førde: "I'm in solitary confinement in Oslo prison".
Høiby was a toddler when his mother married the heir to the throne in 2001. UK Press via Getty Images
"I have someone in my immediate family who has an illness that makes visiting [me] in Oslo prison a bit more difficult than if I were at home," he said.
"The air quality there is… It's an old building with a lot of mould. It would have made a big difference if we could have been somewhere else."
The judge asked him: "Do you mean your mother?"
Høiby responded: "Yes."
Høiby previously told a court about the pressures he felt growing up in the spotlight as part of Norway's royal family. UK Press via Getty Images
Crown Princess Mette-Marit, and Crown Prince Haakon, were photographed arriving at the prison on Sunday.
They have previously visited Høiby there along with their two children, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus, since his incarceration in February.
Princess Ingrid Alexandra was back in Norway around Easter but has since returned to Australia where she is studying a three-year degree at Sydney University.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit has largely been absent from public duties this year owing to her worsening health.
Late last year, the royal's medical team said they had begun preparations to assess the princess for a lung transplant after her health recently deteriorated.
Høiby never held any royal titles. He has two siblings, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus. UK Press via Getty Images
Mette-Marit was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018, which causes scarring in the lungs and leads to reduced oxygen uptake.
When the trial got underway, Crown Princess Mette-Marit found herself at the centre of headlines over revelations she had past contact with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The crown princess' name was mentioned more than 100 times in the Epstein files released earlier this year.
In April, Crown Princess Mette-Marit was seen wearing a breathing device during a royal engagement at the palace. AP
In March, she told Norwegian television: "It is incredibly important for me to take responsibility for not checking his background more carefully.
"And to take responsibility for being so manipulated and deceived as I was."
– Reported with AP
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