- The son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit pleaded not guilty to rape in court
- Marius Borg Høiby faces 38 charges of alleged sexual abuse and assault
- His appearance at trial comes after he was reportedly arrested on new charges on Feb. 1 of alleged assault, violating a restraining order and threatening another person with a knife
The son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit pleaded not guilty to rape in court as he faces 38 charges of alleged sexual abuse and assault.
Marius Borg Høiby, 29, pleaded not guilty to four charges of rape and to other charges of filming women without their consent as he appeared at the Oslo District Court on Tuesday, Feb. 3, the Norwegian outlet NRK and the BBC reported.
Høiby was initially charged with 32 counts, including rape and sexual abuse, on Aug. 18, 2025, a year after being arrested for allegedly attacking a 20-year-old woman.
He faces 38 charges, including six counts of filming people without their consent, six counts of sexually offensive conduct without consent, attacking a former partner, and violating a restraining order, per NRK and the BBC. The maximum sentence is up to 10 years in prison.
Marius Borg Høiby in 2024.
HAKON MOSVOLD LARSEN/NTB/AFP via Getty
Høiby appeared in court on Tuesday along with some of the women named as the alleged victims in the case. His family did not appear in court at the time, according to The New York Times.
During the trial, Høiby partially admitted to charges of aggravated assault relating to a woman in Oslo in August 2024, though he denied abuse, per the BBC. He also pleaded guilty to violating a restraining order and transporting more than seven pounds of cannabis, NRK reported.
Høiby was indicted on charges of rape in connection with alleged incidents that occurred between 2018 and 2024. He was also accused of violence and making threats against a former partner between 2022 and 2023, The New York Times reported.
His appearance at the trial comes after he was arrested on new charges on Sunday, Feb. 1, of alleged assault, violating a restraining order and threatening another person with a knife, per NRK and The New York Times. He was detained in custody up until his court appearance on Tuesday, according to NRK.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway and her son, Marius Borg Høiby, in 2016.
Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty
Høiby is Mette-Marit’s son from a previous relationship before she married Crown Prince Haakon, the future king of Norway. He is not in the line of succession to the throne like his half-siblings, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 22, and Prince Sverre Magnus, 20.
Crown Prince Haakon said in a statement about his stepson’s trial on Jan. 28, “Our thoughts are with everyone who is affected by this case. It has an impact on the individuals, their families and all those who care about them. We understand that this is a difficult time for many of you, and we sympathise.”
“At the same time, it is reassuring to know that we live in a state governed by the rule of law. I am confident that those responsible for overseeing the proceedings will ensure that the trial is conducted in as orderly, proper, and just a manner as possible.”