Oslo, Norway — The eldest son of the Norwegian heir to the throne was arrested shortly before the start of the trial charges including rape in a case that was an embarrassment to the royal family, police said Monday.

Marius Borg Høiby was arrested Sunday night on new charges of alleged assault, knife threats and violating a restraining order, police said in a statement. They asked for a four-week detention because of the risk of repeating the crime. His lawyers were not immediately available for comment.

Høiby’s trial was supposed to start on Tuesday at the Oslo District Court. The indictment includes 38 counts, including rape, abuse in an intimate relationship with one former partner, acts of violence against another and transporting 7.7 pounds of marijuana. Other charges include death threats and traffic violations.

Høiby has been under scrutiny since he was arrested multiple times in 2024 on various charges of wrongdoing. He was charged in August but was free pending trial until Sunday.

Høiby is a son Crown Princess Mette-Marit from the previous connection. He is the stepson of the Crown Prince, Crown Prince Haakon, but has no royal title or official duties himself.

At the heart of the indictment are four alleged rapes between 2018 and November 2024; alleged violence and threats against a former partner between the summer of 2022 and the fall of 2023; and two alleged acts of violence against a subsequent partner, along with a restraining order violation.

Høiby’s defense team said he “denies all allegations of sexual assault, as well as most allegations of violence.”

Haakon said last week that he and Mette-Marit do not plan to attend court and that the royal family does not intend to comment during the proceedings.

He emphasized that Høiby is not part of the royal house and that, as a citizen of Norway, he has the same responsibilities and rights as everyone else. He said that he is convinced that all interested parties will make the trial as orderly, regular and fair as possible.

Although members of the royal family are generally popular in Norway, the Høiby case has cast a shadow over their image. And the trial begins just as his mother faces renewed scrutiny over her contacts with Jeffrey Epstein.

Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit is mentioned in the Epstein files

Friday release of the latest series of documents from the Epstein file illuminated Mette-Marit in a not at all flattering light. Several hundred of them mentioned the heir to the throne, who already stated in 2019 that she regretted having contact with Epstein, according to Norwegian media.

Newly released documents, which include email exchanges with Epstein, show that Mette-Marit borrowed Epstein’s property in Palm Beach, Florida for several days in early 2013, and the royal family confirmed she did so through a mutual friend, NRK television reported.

In an emailed statement from the royal house, Mette-Marit said she “must take responsibility for not investigating Epstein’s background more thoroughly and for not realizing earlier what kind of person he is.”

“I deeply regret it and it’s a responsibility I have to bear. I showed poor judgment and I regret having any contact with Epstein at all,” she said. “It’s just embarrassing.”

She expressed her “deep sympathy and solidarity” with the victims of Epstein’s abuse.