Marius Borg Høiby, stepson of Norway’s king, to be released from custody after nine months

A court in Norway has ruled that Marius Borg Høiby, the stepson of King Haakon VIII, can be released from custody after nearly nine months.

The 29-year-old will have his electronic ankle monitor removed while he awaits an appeal hearing ​over his convictions for rape and assault, scheduled for February.

The Oslo District Court announced its decision on Monday and Høiby’s lawyers have called the ruling “an important breakthrough”.

“Høiby is very satisfied,” defence attorney Daniel Storrvik told Norway’s state broadcaster NRK.

However, the decision ​to release Høiby will now go to a higher court before it ​comes into force, meaning it could be overturned.

In June, Høiby was convicted of rape and assault and sentenced to four years in prison.

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The case has been appealed and will be heard at the Borgarting Court of Appeal from February 9.

Høiby has been in custody since the trial began on February 3 this year, spending time in Oslo Prison before he was released to home detention at the royal estate, Skaugum, where he has remained for the past 16 weeks.

The conditions of Høiby’s house arrest included wearing an ankle monitor and regular drug and alcohol testing.

He has asked the court for release several times, but his detention was extended each time.

Police prosecutor Oda Karterud has opposed Monday’s court ruling, believing that there was still a risk that he will commit new offences.

The court heard Høiby had tested positive for alcohol on one occasion during an unannounced test. Under the conditions of his home detention, he is not allowed to drink alcohol.

Once he is released from home detention, Høiby must continue to undergo regular testing for alcohol and drugs, the court’s ruling added.

“We believe it is not right to release him now,” Karterud said.

“In our opinion, there is a great risk of relapse into drug addiction if he is released now, and the risk of recurrence is greater in this situation.”

But Storrvik has welcomed the decision.

“We are very satisfied with the result. Marius is happy and relieved, but takes it with a grain of salt based on the fact that it is not yet legally binding.”

Storrvik added: “I think it is a reasonable and well-founded ruling.

“I hope that the prosecution withdraws its appeal after reading the thorough ruling from the court.”

His legal team added that Høiby had not contacted his victim or violated a restraining order during his four-month home detention.

Høiby is the son of Queen Mette-Marit from a previous relationship before she married Haakon in 2001. The 54-year-old ascended the Norwegian throne in August after the death of his father, King Harald V.

Høiby grew up as part of the royal family but was never given a title or official role.

Over the years he attended many events with the royal family and the late King Harald, who he called grandfather, but stepped back from public life in 2017 after struggling with his mental health and addiction.

In September, he was granted special permission from police to attend King Harald’s state funeral and mourning events in the week before. Høiby was also among Harald’s family who gathered at the late monarch’s hospital bedside.

His younger sister, the now Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra − and heir to the throne − will return to Australia for university in February.

The 22-yer-old will resume her degree at Sydney University after cutting short her stay in June this year.

Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra abruptly left Sydney to return to Norway as her family faced several unprecedented challenges, including Høiby’s rape trial.

Soon after Ingrid’s return to Oslo, Queen Mette-Marit underwent a successful lung transplant.

A recent update from the Royal House said the queen was “still in rehabilitation after her lung transplant”. Mette-Marit is not expected to have an official program until mid-next year.