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The son of Norway’s heir to the throne pleaded not guilty to rape charges as he went on trial Tuesday for multiple alleged crimes, opening a week of proceedings in a case that has cast a shadow over the royal family’s image.
Marius Borg HøibyThe 29-year-old is the eldest son of the Princess Mette-Marit from a previous relationship and stepson of the heir to the throne, heir to the throne Haakon. Høiby has no royal title or official duties.
Høiby stood while prosecutor Sturla Henriksbø read 38 counts against him at the district court in Oslo, asking him if he admits guilt. He answered “no” to the most serious charges, including four counts of rape.
The charges also include intimate partner abuse against one ex-partner, acts of violence against another and transporting 3.5 kilograms (7.7 pounds) of marijuana. Others include death threats and traffic violations.
Høiby pleaded guilty to several driving offences, a serious drug offense and breaching a restraining order and “in part” to menacing and aggravated assault. Wearing glasses, a brown sweater and beige pants, he spoke softly and consulted regularly with his defense attorney.
Prosecutors said Høiby could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted at the trial, which is scheduled to last until March 19. Seven alleged victims are expected to testify.
“There is equality before the law,” Henriksbø told the court. “The accused is the son of the heir to the throne. He is part of the royal family. Nevertheless, he will be treated in the same way as any other person accused of the same crimes.”
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At the beginning of the trial, the accused sat between defense attorneys Ellen Holager Andenæs and Petar Sekulić, and later moved to the table behind them, where he fiddled with the chain while the prosecutor presented the charges.
International interest
Reflecting international interest in the trial, Judge Jon Sverdrup Efjestad addressed the court in English, warning that filming or photography was prohibited in the courtroom and advising that some witness statements would be heard behind closed doors.
Andenæs argued that Høiby’s fame had already colored the case. She said that for a long period he faced a “tsunami of publicity” that made him “feel like he was losing control of his life” and that the weight of public scrutiny of thousands of newspaper articles made it difficult for him to believe he could win.
“Like everyone else, he is innocent until proven guilty. The verdict will be pronounced in this courtroom and not anywhere else,” the defense attorney said in court. “Only you will decide that.”
Outside the courtroom, Hege Salomon, a lawyer for one of the alleged rape victims, said her client wished to remain anonymous and was “very afraid” that the public might learn her name, adding that “media coverage increases the pressure, especially because she is not a famous person.”
Salomon said her client was contacted by police and decided to testify, “and she thinks it’s true that … they filed charges and so on, but she didn’t initiate it.”
The investigation began in 2024. Police were first called to the apartment in Oslo’s posh Frogner district after reports of a violent incident. Høiby was arrested and later released, but the case spread as more women came forward with accusations.
The indictment focuses on 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.
It was extended in January, when Høiby was charged with six more offences, including possession and delivery of large quantities of marijuana and a further breach of the restraining order.
He was free pending trial until Sunday, when police said he was arrested on new assault chargesthreats with a knife and violating a restraining order.
Crown Prince Haakon said last week that he and Mette-Marit did not plan to attend the trial and that the royal family did not intend to comment during the proceedings.
Royal problems
King Harald, 88, and the royal family are generally popular in Norway, but the Høiby case posed a problem for the family’s image.
The trial began at a particularly sensitive moment. Mette-Marit faces re-examination of her past contacts with Jeffrey Epsteinwho died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while facing sex-trafficking charges after being released on Friday a new set of documents from the Epstein files.
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. The documents, which include email exchanges, showed that Mette-Marit rented a property owned by Epstein in Palm Beach, Florida, for several days in 2013. Norwegian broadcaster NRK reported that the stay was arranged through a mutual friend, which was later confirmed by the royal household.
Mette-Marit said in a statement that she “must take responsibility for not investigating Epstein’s background more thoroughly and for not realizing earlier what kind of person he is.” She added: “I showed poor judgment and I regret having any contact with Epstein at all. It’s just embarrassing.”
© 2026 The Canadian Press
