Marius Borg Høiby, the 29-year-old son of Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has been found guilty of two counts of rape and sentenced to four years in prison by an Oslo court. The verdict, delivered on Monday, followed a seven-week trial where Høiby faced 40 criminal charges, including four counts of rape, domestic abuse, and drug-related offenses. Prosecutors had sought a seven-year and seven-month sentence, while defense lawyers argued for a lesser term of 18 months. Høiby was acquitted of two other rape charges but convicted of abusing an ex-girlfriend and other lesser offenses.
The case involved allegations of sexual assault against four women between 2018 and 2024, with the court finding him guilty of raping two women—one on the Crown Prince's estate at Skaugum in 2018 and another in Oslo in 2024. Evidence included self-made videos of sexual encounters and over 800 electronic messages. Høiby denied all rape allegations but admitted to some lesser offenses.
Høiby, who is not a royal figure but grew up in the royal household, was not present in court for the verdict but joined via video link. His defense lawyer requested his release to spend time with his mother, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who is seriously ill with pulmonary fibrosis and awaiting a lung transplant. The court denied the request, and Høiby can appeal the verdict.