Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has been sentenced to four years in prison in a case that has deeply unsettled the nation. The Oslo District Court found the 29-year-old guilty of two counts of rape, along with a series of other offenses, including drug-related crimes. In total, the verdict covers 34 criminal acts, while he was acquitted of two additional rape charges. Both sides now have two weeks to appeal.
Høiby attended the sentencing via video link from prison due to health reasons. The ruling, delivered early Monday morning, followed a trial that examined events spanning from 2018 to 2024. Prosecutors argued that several victims were unable to give consent, as they were asleep or unconscious during the assaults. The court upheld this argument in two cases.
The trial also included allegations that Høiby had used alcohol and drugs before the incidents and had subjected former partners to physical and psychological abuse. Prosecutors had sought a longer sentence of seven years and seven months, while the defense denied the most serious accusations and called for acquittal on key charges. Høiby admitted guilt in some lesser offenses.
Though closely tied to Norway’s royal family, Høiby holds no official title, as he was born before his mother’s marriage to Crown Prince Haakon.
The case has unfolded alongside a grave personal crisis. Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who has long battled chronic lung disease, has seen her condition worsen. She was recently placed on the waiting list for a lung transplant, a step reserved for patients with limited time left. As the court’s decision closes one chapter, the royal family faces another, far more uncertain one.
