Rape, violence, drugs: The Høiby case shakes Norway’s royal family

Accused on 38 counts

Marius Borg Høiby may not be photographed during the trial.

Image: Ane Hem/NTB Scanpix Pool/AP/dpa

Marius Borg Høiby, eldest son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit, will stand trial in Oslo from February 3. The 29-year-old is charged with a total of 38 counts – including serious sexual offenses, violence in relationships and drug possession.

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Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit, is on trial in Norway this week.
The 29-year-old is accused of rape, violence in relationships, assault and drug possession, among other things.
The trial runs until mid-March and is attracting a great deal of media interest. If convicted, Høiby faces several years in prison. While the royal family is keeping its distance publicly, it is expressing sympathy for those affected.
Høiby is not a member of the Norwegian royal family and has never performed any official duties.

What a pitch-black time for the Norwegian royal family: at the end of 2025, it was announced that Crown Princess Mette-Marit would have to undergo a lung transplant in the foreseeable future.

At the same time, her eldest son Marius will stand trial on 38 charges from tomorrow, February 3.

Why exactly is Marius Borg Høiby on trial? And what could he face? Here is an overview of the start of the trial.

Who is Marius Borg Høiby anyway?

Høiby (29) is the eldest son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit (52). He comes from a previous – according to the Norwegian media volatile – relationship between the Crown Princess and Morton Borg. Morton Borg works as a freelancer in the media and advertising sector.

Borg previously worked in his native Norway and Denmark as a creative and communications consultant. He rarely appears in public and largely keeps his private life out of the public eye.

Mette-Marit raised her son alone until she met the heir to the Norwegian throne Haakon (52). The boy with the light blonde hair was affectionately called “Lille Marius” at the couple’s wedding.

Marius then grew up with the couple – with his half-siblings Princess Ingrid Alexandra (22) and Prince Sverre Magnus (20).

Although Høiby is part of the royal family, he is not a member of the Norwegian royal family and therefore not a prince. He therefore has no official duties.

In 2017, he began studying business administration in the USA, but dropped out straight away. He later worked as an intern for a fashion designer, as a salesman for a company that developed a party app and as a motorcycle mechanic.

The list of accusations is long – and fierce. The crown princess’s son has been charged with 38 counts – including rape, abuse in close relationships, assault, damage to property and breaches of visiting bans.

The first allegations were made in 2024 – since then, the number has grown steadily. Just a few weeks ago, six further charges were added: Marius Borg Høiby is alleged to have stored and transported around 3.5 kilos of marijuana and to have driven a motorcycle too fast on several occasions.

In the course of the investigation, the Norwegian was arrested several times and was even remanded in custody after new allegations of several suspected sexual offenses came to light. Charges were finally brought against him in the summer of 2025.

What is Høiby’s position on the allegations?

Back in the summer of 2024, Høiby admitted that he had become violent towards his then girlfriend under the influence of alcohol and cocaine and had destroyed things in her apartment. In a statement at the time, he reported mental health problems and that he had been struggling with substance abuse for some time.

Høiby has vehemently denied other allegations – especially the sexual offenses.

Investigators are nevertheless certain that he is guilty of a whole range of crimes, including several sexual offenses under the Norwegian rape law.

How will the trial proceed? And what does Høiby face?

The trial is scheduled to last until mid-March. After the reading of the indictment and the pleas on the first day, Høiby will be asked to answer the charges against him on the second day of the trial. Several alleged victims and witnesses, including ex-girlfriends of the accused, will also have their say.

There are strict guidelines for reporting on the women. Many of the statements are made behind closed doors. The media interest is immense.

If convicted, Høiby faces a prison sentence. The accused sexual offenses alone could result in several years in prison under Norwegian law.

How did the royal family react to the allegations against Høiby?

Crown Princess Mette-Marit did not publicly comment on the allegations against her sonuntil the end of 2024 – a fact that caused much outrage. She told Norwegian television that the investigations had put a strain on the family: “It was really, really hard for us.” Norway’s King Harald V and the Crown Prince and Crown Princess expressed their sympathy to all those affected.

Crown Prince Haakon recently said that although Høiby was not a member of the royal family, he was “an important part of our family”.

The crown prince and princess intend to follow the trial. However, they will stay away from the court. Mette-Marit, said Haakon, had planned a private trip and his own schedule was full. The crown prince also does not want to comment on the trial against his stepson.

What do Norwegians think about the case?

The scandal surrounding the royal family’s enfant terrible has been a topic of conversation in the country for a year and a half.

Many Norwegians are shaking their heads and wondering how someone who grew up in such privileged circumstances can fall so low. Mette-Marit was also under fire at first.

But many also feel sympathy for the seriously ill crown princess and the royal family, to which the majority of Norwegians are very loyal. Polls now show the monarchy in a strong position again.