{"id":113860,"date":"2026-02-03T11:59:59","date_gmt":"2026-02-03T11:59:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=113860"},"modified":"2026-02-03T11:59:59","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T11:59:59","slug":"rape-trial-begins-for-son-of-norways-crown-princess-in-tense-moment-for-royal-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=113860","title":{"rendered":"Rape trial begins for son of Norway\u2019s crown princess in tense moment for royal family"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A year and a half after Marius Borg H\u00f8iby was arrested by police over a violent episode at a woman\u2019s flat\u2019s in Oslo, the son of Norway\u2019s crown princess has gone on trial, in the biggest case to come to court here for years.<\/p>\n

H\u00f8iby pleaded not guilty to four charges of rape, as the public prosecutor read out the 38 charges against him.<\/p>\n

The seven-week trial opened at Oslo district court against a backdrop of almost daily revelations surrounding him and his mother, Crown Princess Mette-Marit.<\/p>\n

The crown princess is facing increasing criticism after it emerged that she was cited in hundreds of emails showing extensive contacts with the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.<\/p>\n

She has admitted showing \u201cpoor judgement\u201d, but the fallout has already begun, with one organisation dropping her as patron for its annual prize.<\/p>\n

On the eve of the trial it emerged her 29-year-old son had been detained again, in circumstances not unlike his initial arrest, on suspicion of assault, making threats with a knife and violating a restraining order.<\/p>\n

As police have placed him on remand for four weeks, he began the trial in custody.<\/p>\n

His defence team intends to appeal against the decision.<\/p>\n

Marius Borg H\u00f8iby appeared in court wearing a brown sweater and white T-shirt, green trousers and glasses, his blond hair cut short. Heavy court restrictions have been imposed on the trial, with a ban on any pictures of the defendant inside or outside court. The judge broke into English at one point to emphasise the rules to international media.<\/p>\n

As the charges against him were read out, he pleaded not guilty to the four accusations of rape, speaking very quietly.<\/p>\n

He partially admitted charges relating to a woman in Frogner in western Oslo in August 2024, admitting bodily harm but denying abuse, He admitted several other charges, including violating a restraining order, transporting marijuana and speeding. At times he fiddled with a bracelet as public prosecutor Sturla Henriksb\u00f8 detailed the charges against him.<\/p>\n

Sitting opposite, to the right of the prosecutor, were some of the women named as victims in the case. The court has banned any detail that might identify the four women involved \u2013 a point underlined by the judge as proceedings opened.<\/p>\n

The prosecutor set out details of the rape charges, alleging that the first took place during an after-party in December 2018 in the basement of the defendant\u2019s parents\u2019 house when he was 21.<\/p>\n

All four are alleged to have have taken place when the women were either asleep or incapacitated.<\/p>\n

The royal family will not attend the trial in Courtroom 250 at Oslo district court which has attracted enormous interest throughout Norway and beyond.<\/p>\n

Commentators do not see that as particularly surprising, with King Harald V and Queen Sonja heading to the Winter Olympics in Italy later this week, but it adds to a sense of isolation surrounding Crown Prince Haakon\u2019s stepson.<\/p>\n

Marius Borg H\u00f8iby was born four years before Mette-Marit married the crown prince, and although he is seen as a close member of the family he is not part of the royal family itself and not a public figure.<\/p>\n

He faces an array of 38 charges:<\/p>\n