International
16 June 2026 7:43 AM• 1 hour ago• Lim_Rothanaksambath
Norwegian Crown Prince's Stepson Sentenced to Four Years for Rape
Phnom Penh, June 16, 2026 – Marius Borg Høiby, the 29-year-old son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit but not a member of the royal family, has been sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of two counts of rape and other crimes, an Oslo court ruled on Monday.
Høiby, who became part of the royal household when his mother married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001 but holds no royal title or official duties, was acquitted on two other rape counts. He had pleaded not guilty to the most severe accusations while admitting to some lesser offences, and his legal team has indicated they plan to appeal.
The seven-week trial gripped the country, detailing Høiby's drug addiction, self-made videos of sexual encounters, and more than 800 electronic messages entered into evidence. One of the rapes he was convicted of took place in the basement of the crown prince's official Skaugum residence.
Prosecutors had sought a sentence of seven years and seven months, but the court imposed a four-year prison term. Høiby, who has been in custody since February, followed the verdict via video link from prison for health reasons.
The case has drawn intense international attention and has contributed to a decline in the popularity of Norway's monarchy. It coincided with Crown Princess Mette-Marit's apology for maintaining contact with the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after his conviction in 2008. The verdict was delivered amid difficult personal circumstances for Høiby's mother, who suffers from pulmonary fibrosis and has been placed on a lung transplant list.
— Sources:
ABC
Al Jazeera
CNN
Høiby, who became part of the royal household when his mother married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001 but holds no royal title or official duties, was acquitted on two other rape counts. He had pleaded not guilty to the most severe accusations while admitting to some lesser offences, and his legal team has indicated they plan to appeal.
The seven-week trial gripped the country, detailing Høiby's drug addiction, self-made videos of sexual encounters, and more than 800 electronic messages entered into evidence. One of the rapes he was convicted of took place in the basement of the crown prince's official Skaugum residence.
Prosecutors had sought a sentence of seven years and seven months, but the court imposed a four-year prison term. Høiby, who has been in custody since February, followed the verdict via video link from prison for health reasons.
The case has drawn intense international attention and has contributed to a decline in the popularity of Norway's monarchy. It coincided with Crown Princess Mette-Marit's apology for maintaining contact with the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after his conviction in 2008. The verdict was delivered amid difficult personal circumstances for Høiby's mother, who suffers from pulmonary fibrosis and has been placed on a lung transplant list.
— Sources:
ABC
Al Jazeera
CNN