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Norway’s royal family is no stranger to scandal but even the House of Glücksburg couldn’t have imagined the new lows they’d hit in 2026.
The country is currently gripped by a trial in Oslo where a member of the royal family is accused of rape and other serious crimes.
Here is everything you need to know about the case against Marius Borg Høiby…
Who is Marius Borg Høiby?
Marius Borg Høiby is the son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit and stepson to Crown Prince Haakon.
Although Høiby is not an official member of the Norwegian royal household and holds no title or public duties, there is no doubt that he grew up with all the wealth and privilege associated with someone at the heart of the inner circle of the monarchy.
The Crown Prince, 52, who is the heir to the throne, has raised Høiby as his own from early childhood and included him in major royal events.
“Marius Borg Høiby is not a member of the Royal House of Norway and is therefore autonomous,” Haakon said in a statement shortly ahead of legal proceedings getting underway. “We care about him, and he is an important member of our family.”
Høiby also shares a close relationship with his half-siblings, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 22, and Prince Sverre Magnus, 20, who sit in second and third place in the line of succession in Norway.
Princess Ingrid Alexandra, who currently attends the University of Sydney, spoke warmly of Høiby during her 18th birthday gala in early 2022.
“Marius, thank you for everything I’ve learned from you and for always being someone I can talk to about anything,” she said.
The milestone occasion was held before his initial arrest in 2024.
What is Marius Borg Høiby accused of?
The 29-year-old faces 38 charges, including four counts of rape, domestic abuse of a former partner and the illegal filming of multiple women without their knowledge or consent.
Prosecutors allege that one of the sexual assaults took place inside a royal residence on the Skaugum estate, where the Crown Prince’s family lives.
Two days before the trial began on February 3, he was arrested again and charged with making threats with a knife and violating a restraining order.
Høiby pleaded not guilty to rape and domestic violence, however, he admitted to one count of offensive sexual behaviour, driving too fast and driving without a valid licence.
He also said he was partially guilty, a plea allowed under Norwegian law, of aggravated assault and reckless behaviour.
If convicted, he could face up to 16 years in prison.
What did Marius Borg Høiby say in court?
While Norway’s royal household may have been eager to keep its distance from the trial, Høiby had no hesitation in invoking his connections to the crown when he took the stand.
Testifying on February 4, he broke down as he defended himself under questioning.
“I am known as the son of Mummy,” Høiby told the court. “Which means I have an extreme need for affirmation … A lot of sex, a lot of alcohol.”
The day before Høiby testified, one of the women at the centre of the case told the court she had no memory of the alleged assault until police showed her video footage.
“At first, I didn’t believe it,” she told the court. “I couldn’t understand that Marius could do something like that to me.”
She added that she feared she may have been given an illicit substance without her knowledge.
Prosecutors say several of the alleged incidents were filmed on Høiby’s phone. He denies that the videos depict footage of rape.
“If I had thought I had material that showed an assault, I would never have kept that material,” Høiby said.
Is Crown Princess Mette-Marit popular in Norway?
Høiby’s trial comes at an incredibly challenging time for the House of Glücksburg, which has faced increasing scrutiny in recent years.
As a single mother when she began her relationship with the Crown Prince, Mette-Marit, 52, has always been a controversial figure in Norway.
The fact Høiby’s biological father, Morten Borg, was charged with drug offences didn’t help.
However, her eldest son’s court proceedings have begun amid headlines about her relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Recently released documents from the Epstein files show she exchanged more than 100 emails and messages with the disgraced financier.
In a 2012 email exchange, which was four years after his conviction for sex offences involving a minor, the Crown Princess calls Epstein “very charming”.
“Is it inappropriate for a mother to suggest two naked women carrying a surfboard for my 15-year-old son’s wallpaper?” she asked.
Mette-Marit has admitted that the association showed her poor judgement.
“It is simply embarrassing,” she said in a statement.
However, that hasn’t proved enough. A recent survey on behalf of Norwegian news outlet TV 2 showed that 47.6 per cent of citizens do not believe the Crown Princess should become Norway’s next queen.
