Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has been sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of multiple offences, including two counts of rape. The verdict was delivered by the Oslo district court on Monday morning in a courtroom packed with journalists, nearly three months after Høiby's closely watched six-week trial.
Case Details and Verdict
The case has captivated Norway, both due to Høiby's close ties to the royal family and the attention it has drawn to issues such as consent, domestic violence, rape, and the non-consensual sharing of sexual photos and videos. Judge Jon Sverdrup Efjestad convicted Høiby of assaulting his former girlfriend Nora Haukland, the only victim publicly named. He was ordered to pay Haukland and three other women a total of 640,000 kroner (about £50,000) in compensation and received a two-year restraining order against one victim.
Charges and Acquittals
Høiby faced 40 charges, including four counts of rape and assault, several breaches of restraining orders, and drug and driving offences. One charge of violating a restraining order was later overturned. He was found guilty of 34 offences, including two counts of rape, serious bodily harm, abuse in close relationships, physical assault, threats, six counts of sexually offensive behaviour, and three counts of violating a restraining order. He was acquitted of two counts of rape and two counts of violating a restraining order.
The 29-year-old had pleaded not guilty to the most serious accusations, including rape, while admitting to some lesser offences. Within hours of the verdict, his lawyers announced they would appeal. The judgment stated: "Rape is a serious violation of integrity, and the punishment must reflect this." Prosecutor Sturla Henriksbø noted: "Evaluating evidence in rape cases is difficult, and that is also the reason why a third of all rape charges in Norway end in acquittal."
Trial Proceedings
Høiby attended court by video link from Ila prison, which his defence said was for health reasons. He was not visible on the video link. Prosecutors had sought a sentence of seven years and seven months, while defence lawyers argued for acquittal on rape allegations and no more than 18 months for admitted offences. The rape charges involve four women and span from 2018 to 2024, with each alleged victim sleeping or heavily incapacitated.
Addressing one rape charge at the crown prince and princess's residence in Skaugum in December 2018, Judge Efjestad said of video evidence: "She has closed her eyes, lies in the same position over time and shows no reactions to touch or stimulation. There are no sounds or movements that indicate she is awake. This is also supported by the victim's own reaction, when she was shown recordings during interrogation, where she stated that she had not been aware of what happened."
Impact on Royal Family
The trial came at a difficult time for the Norwegian royal family, which has been dealing with the serious illness of Høiby's mother, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who also faced scrutiny over her past association with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Last week, Oslo district court agreed to release Høiby from custody to spend time with his mother as she awaits a lung transplant, but the court of appeal overturned the request.
The trial has drawn significant attention in Norway and abroad. Before Monday's hearing, journalists queued outside the court from 7:30am. The verdict was met with relief and disappointment from victims. Lawyers John Christian Elden and Heidi Reisvang said the woman raped at Skaugum had been "unwillingly drawn into this case," which was an "enormous burden." They praised the court's "thorough and well-reasoned assessment" and expressed hope that the judgment marks a final conclusion and that Høiby receives help to prevent further harm.
Regarding another victim acquitted of rape, Elden and Reisvang said: "Although the high burden of proof had not been found by the court to have been met, this does not mean that she was not believed." They noted their client was "disappointed with the outcome, but the case may not yet be finally settled." They added that domestic abuse "is a serious societal issue that can be difficult to prove," and Høiby's conviction for abuse in close relationships was a relief for Haukland. A spokesperson for the Norwegian royal court said: "The matter has been considered by the courts, and we have no comment on the outcome."
