Marius Borg Høiby pleads not guilty in court while pressure mounts against his crown princess mother over Epstein friendship
There will be little to celebrate when Norway’s King Harald, Europe’s oldest reigning monarch, turns 89 later this month.
Two multigenerational crises have rocked the institution, causing its popularity to dip in polls of Norwegians and bringing a public glare that far exceeds that of previous scandals.
The king’s step-grandson, Marius Borg Høiby, who joined the royal family when his mother Mette-Marit married in 2001, is standing trial in Oslo charged with 38 counts, including the rape of four women. Crown Princess Mette-Marit, meanwhile, has come under intense scrutiny over damaging revelations in the Epstein files about her years-long relationship with the late sex offender.
On Tuesday, the first day of his trial that has transfixed Norway, Høiby pleaded not guilty to the most serious charges of rape and domestic violence but acknowledged partial guilt – a plea allowed under Norwegian law – for aggravated assault and reckless behaviour. He also admitted lesser charges, including driving too fast.
