Marius Borg Høiby, Son of Norway's Crown Princess, Jailed After Rape Conviction

Marius Borg Høiby (Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway's son)

Marius Borg Høiby, the son of the Norwegian Crown Princess, has been found guilty of two counts of rape and sentenced to four years in prison. A Norwegian court delivered its verdict and sentence on Monday, bringing an end to a high-profile trial that has gripped the nation, and where a custodial sentence had been widely anticipated regardless of the outcome of the most serious charges.

The 29-year-old faced a total of 40 criminal charges, including four counts of rape alongside allegations of violence, threats, and abuse. Prosecutors at Oslo District Court had sought a sentence of seven years and seven months, while defence lawyers argued he should be acquitted of the rape allegations and receive no more than 18 months for the lesser offences he had admitted to.

The six-week trial concluded in March following testimony from multiple accusers and the presentation of evidence, including messages, images, and videos taken from Høiby’s mobile phone. The rape charges involved four different women between 2018 and 2024, with the prosecution alleging that in each case the women were either asleep or heavily incapacitated. While Høiby denied the rape accusations and disputed key elements of several other claims, he did plead guilty to some lesser offences, including drug-related crimes, driving offences, and breaches of a restraining order.

The case has attracted intense international attention due to Høiby’s connection to the royal family. Although he holds no royal title and carries out no official duties, he is the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit from a relationship prior to her marriage to Crown Prince Haakon, the heir to the Norwegian throne, and he grew up in the household alongside the future king.

Public interest has intensified further in recent days amid the declining health of Crown Princess Mette-Marit. The Crown Princess, who suffers from pulmonary fibrosis and is awaiting a lung transplant, was recently at the centre of legal arguments over whether her son should be granted temporary release from custody before the verdict. However, appeals courts ruled that Høiby must remain detained while awaiting judgment, and he has now been jailed for four years.