Norway’s Crown Princess Faces Scrutiny Over Years of Contact with Jeffrey Epstein

Norway’s crown princess Mette-Marit has come under scrutiny after newly released documents appear to show years of contact with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The unsealed files, made public Friday by the U.S. Justice Department, reportedly contain nearly 1,000 mentions of Mette-Marit, including numerous email exchanges between 2011 and 2014, according to the Norwegian newspaper VG. Mette-Marit married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001.

The revelations arrive at a sensitive time for the royal family, as Mette-Marit’s son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Høiby, faces trial in Oslo starting Tuesday on 38 charges, including rape, assault, and drug-related offenses. Høiby has denied the most serious allegations, and a conviction could carry a sentence of up to 16 years.

Mette-Marit issued a statement addressing her past communications with Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex crimes against minors. “I showed poor judgment and I deeply regret having had any contact with Epstein. It is simply embarrassing,” she said, expressing sympathy for his victims and acknowledging she should have investigated his background more thoroughly.

The documents suggest a close rapport between the princess and Epstein. In one 2012 email, she told him he was “very charming” and asked about using a provocative image as wallpaper for her teenage son, while in others she called him “soft-hearted” and “such a sweetheart.” Their exchanges included references to travel, gifts, and social visits, including a four-day stay at Epstein’s Palm Beach home in 2013 when he was absent.

Mette-Marit’s statement stressed that she ended written contact with Epstein in 2014, feeling he was attempting to exploit their connection for leverage. The palace noted that the emails’ presence in the files does not indicate wrongdoing.

During her son’s upcoming trial, the crown princess is expected to be away on a private trip, and neither she nor Crown Prince Haakon will attend. Høiby holds no royal title and is not in the line of succession. The royal court has emphasized that the proceedings are a matter for the courts, stating, “It is for the courts to consider this matter and reach a decision. We have no further comment.”