Son of Norway royal denies rape, admits lesser charges

The son of Norway's crown princess has pleaded not guilty to rape and domestic violence but admitted to some lesser charges on the first day of his trial, in a case that has shaken an already embattled royal family.

Marius Borg Hoiby, 29, son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit and stepson to Crown Prince Haakon, could face multiple years in prison if found guilty of the most serious of the 38 charges against him.

As the trial started, a poll pointed to an erosion in Norwegians' traditionally strong support for their monarchy.

The proceedings come days after Hoiby's mother apologised for her "poor judgment" in maintaining contacts with the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after he was convicted in 2008.

On Tuesday, Hoiby pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape and one of domestic violence.

He pleaded guilty to one count of offensive sexual behaviour, driving too fast and driving without a valid licence, among other charges.

He also said he was partially guilty - a plea allowed under Norwegian law - of aggravated assault and reckless behaviour.

After a short adjournment, Hoiby - wearing a brown jumper over a white T-shirt, dark green trousers and white trainers - returned to sit behind his lawyers, his body sometimes shaking and his hands clasped tightly together.

Lead prosecutor Sturla Henriksboe said Hoiby would be treated like any other Norwegian.

"He will not be handled tougher or milder because he is part of this family," Henriksboe said in his opening statement.

In response, Hoiby's lawyer said her client's treatment had been anything but fair.

"The press coverage - which defendant sees 10,000 press articles written about him? ... He has experienced books being written about him and more are coming," Ellen Holager Andenaes told the court.

"Our client has absolutely not received normal treatment. And he has not received any positive treatment."

Crown Prince Haakon said in a statement he and his wife were not planning to attend the court proceedings.

About Hoiby, Haakon said: "We love him. He is an important part of our family. He is a Norwegian citizen, so he has the same responsibilities as everyone else, as well as the same rights."

Haakon expressed sympathy for the alleged victims. "We think about them. We know many are going through a difficult time," he said.

FAMILY HIT BY TRAVAILS AND SCANDALS

The case is the most serious crisis to hit the Norwegian royal family in peacetime, historian Trond Noren Isaksen said in the run-up to the hearing, though Hoiby does not have a royal title and is outside the line of succession.

Norway's parliament on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly in favour of maintaining the monarchy, rejecting a proposed change to a republic after a long-planned-for debate.

But an opinion poll conducted a day earlier for daily newspaper Verdens Gang showed a fall in the number of Norwegians favouring keeping the monarchy - to 61% from 72% last year - and a 10-percentage-point rise to 27% in support for a republic.

The monarch has faced a series of other travails and scandals in recent years.

King Harald, 88, Europe's oldest living monarch, cut back activity in 2024 after being hospitalised to treat an infection and later receiving a pacemaker.

Mette-Marit needs a lung transplant after being diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018.

King Harald's daughter, Martha Louise, stepped down from official royal duties in 2022 to allow her to pursue her own business ventures, and said both she and her husband, an American self-styled shaman, would refrain from using her title as princess in a commercial setting.

They were both criticised last year for starring in a Netflix documentary chronicling their daily lives.

MULTIPLE CHARGES

Among the charges against Hoiby are one count of rape with sexual intercourse and three counts of rape without intercourse, some of which he filmed on his telephone, the prosecution said.

In January, it added new charges, including the possession and transport of 3.5kg of marijuana.

In 2024, police named Hoiby as a suspect of physical assault against a woman with whom he had been in a relationship.

Hoiby, in a statement to the media at the time, admitted to causing bodily harm to the woman while he was under the influence of cocaine and alcohol and of damaging her apartment. Hoiby said he regretted his acts.

On Sunday, police detained Hoiby on suspicion of causing bodily harm, wielding a knife and violating a restraining order.