June 15, (THEWILL) — Marius Borg Høiby, the 29-year-old son of Norway’s Crown Princess, Mette-Marit, has been found guilty of two counts of rape and sentenced to four years in prison.
The Oslo District Court in Norway delivered the verdict on Monday, June 15. He was cleared of two other rape charges due to insufficient evidence.
Judges said the proven cases involved two women who were asleep or heavily intoxicated and unable to resist. They said the offences were legally counted as rape, even without intercourse.
One incident took place in 2018 at the Skaugum estate, the official home of Crown Prince Haakon, and another in Oslo in 2024.
Høiby was not in court and joined the hearing by secure video link from prison due to undisclosed health reasons.
He faced dozens of charges in total. He denied the sexual assault allegations but was convicted of other offences, including domestic abuse against his ex-girlfriend, Nora Haukland, bodily harm against another partner, drug offences, and traffic violations.
Prosecutors asked for a sentence of seven years and seven months, while his lawyers argued for about 18 months for the lesser charges he admitted to. His legal team has said they may appeal the ruling.
The case has drawn major attention because of Høiby’s link to the royal family. He is the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit and the stepson of Crown Prince Haakon, but he has no official royal title or public role.
The Norwegian royal palace declined to comment, saying only that the matter has been handled by the courts.
The trial comes at a difficult time for the family, as Crown Princess Mette-Marit is seriously ill and on a lung transplant waiting list.
Høiby remains in custody and can still appeal the case.
Evi Ben Ezaga writes on entertainment, culture, and trending stories.
