Norway’s royal family has been plunged into one of the most serious crises in its modern history after Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit and stepson of Crown Prince Haakon, was sentenced to four years in prison following a high-profile rape trial.
The 29-year-old was found guilty by an Oslo court of two counts of rape, domestic violence and a series of other offences after a seven-week criminal trial that has dominated headlines across Scandinavia.
Prosecutors had sought a prison sentence of seven years and seven months, arguing that the offences were particularly serious. While Høiby admitted responsibility for some lesser charges, he pleaded not guilty to the rape allegations and is expected to appeal the verdict.
One of the rape convictions relates to an incident that took place in 2018 at Skaugum, the private residence of Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit. According to the court, the victim was asleep at the time of the assault and unable to consent.
A second conviction involved an incident in Oslo in 2024.
The court also found Høiby guilty of abusing former girlfriend Nora Haukland, causing serious bodily harm to another woman, making threats, violating restraining orders, vandalism, drug offences and several other crimes. In total, he faced 38 charges.
As part of the ruling, Høiby was ordered to pay compensation to three victims, amounting to approximately AUD $100,000.
Family Tragedy Deepens
The verdict comes at an especially difficult time for the Norwegian royal family.
Høiby’s mother, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, is currently on Norway’s national waiting list for a lung transplant after her long battle with pulmonary fibrosis worsened significantly. Doctors have reportedly advised that a transplant is now her only viable treatment option.
Last week, the court rejected a request from Høiby’s legal team for temporary compassionate release so he could spend time with his mother.
Meanwhile, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, second in line to the Norwegian throne, has returned from Australia to support her family during the crisis.
The 22-year-old princess moved to Sydney in 2025 to undertake a three-year university degree at the University of Sydney. Although royal officials say she intends to complete her studies, many observers believe her increasing royal responsibilities may make a return to Australia difficult.
A Historic Royal Scandal
Although Høiby never held a royal title and was not an official working member of the royal family, he grew up within royal circles after his mother married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001.
For years he appeared alongside King Harald V, Queen Sonja and other members of the royal family at official events, including Norway’s Constitution Day celebrations.
However, after stepping away from public life in 2017, Høiby became increasingly troubled, later speaking publicly about mental health struggles and substance abuse.
His arrest in August 2024 marked a historic moment, making him the first person so closely connected to Norway’s royal family to face such serious criminal charges.
Monarchy Under Pressure
The conviction adds to mounting pressure on the Norwegian monarchy, which has faced growing public scrutiny over the past year.
With Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s declining health and Princess Ingrid Alexandra increasingly expected to assume a larger public role, the royal household now finds itself navigating one of the most challenging periods in generations.
Høiby is expected to be transferred to Ila Prison, Norway’s maximum-security correctional facility, while his lawyers prepare a possible appeal against the sentence.
For many Norwegians, the case represents an unprecedented scandal that has shaken public confidence and cast a shadow over the future of the monarchy.
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