Norway’s Crown Princess Son Faces Over Seven Years in Prison in Rape and Abuse Trial

OSLO, Norway – Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit, could face seven years and seven months in prison following prosecution requests in his ongoing trial involving charges of rape, abuse, and other offenses. The case, which began in early February, has captivated Norway and brought intense scrutiny to the royal family.

Charges and Allegations

Høiby, 29, is accused of a total of 40 offenses, including:

• Four counts of rape
• Abuse in a close relationship against a former partner
• Violence, breach of peace, damage, and violation of a restraining order against another former partner, referred to as the “Frogner woman” in media reports
• Filming the abdomen of several women without their knowledge or consent
• Death threats, assaulting the police, and various traffic offenses

Additional charges brought in January and March 2026 include narcotics violations, further breaches of a restraining order, reckless driving, and reckless behavior.

Prosecution’s Argument for Sentencing

State Prosecutor Sturla Henriksbø requested the following sentences:

• Three years for the rape of a woman in December 2018
• Two years and eight months for the rape of a woman in October 2023
• Two years for the rape of a woman in March 2024
• Two years for the rape of a woman in November 2024
• Eleven months for the abuse of Nora Haukland
• Eleven months for transporting 3.5 kilograms of marijuana
• Just under a year for a series of incidents involving violence, threats, and breach of a restraining order against the “Frogner woman”

Despite the potential for a significantly longer sentence based on the individual charges, the prosecution is seeking a total of seven years and seven months, citing the Norwegian legal principle of considering an overall assessment and applying a “quantity discount” of around 50% for similar offenses. BBC News reports that this approach differs from systems in countries like the United States, where sentences are often added together.

Defense Strategy

Høiby denies criminal guilt for the most serious charges, including the rapes and mistreatment of TV personality Nora Haukland. His defense team, led by Petar Sekulic and Ellen Holager Andenæs, will argue for a lenient sentence, potentially citing high media pressure and seeking acquittal on the most serious allegations. They have not yet commented publicly on their full strategy.

Court’s Discretion

The court is not bound by the prosecution’s or defense’s recommendations and will make its own independent assessment of the evidence. As State Attorney Henriksbø stated, the court can impose a stricter or lighter sentence, or reach different conclusions regarding guilt or innocence.

Background and Ongoing Scrutiny

The trial comes at a time of increased scrutiny of the Norwegian royal family, following the release of US Justice Department files revealing Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s past ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Guardian reported that Høiby’s former partner, Nora Haukland, testified that he “often” grabbed her by the throat during their relationship.

The trial is expected to conclude this week, with the three judges deliberating their verdicts.