The eldest son of the Crown Princess of Norway began to stand trial this Tuesday, February 3, on charges of rape, domestic violence, assault and drug possession, among other crimes, in a case that shook the royal family, which is currently going through another tense moment following the release of the Epstein case files.
Marius Borg Hoiby, 29, son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit and stepson of Crown Prince Haakon, could face several years in prison if found guilty of the 38 most serious charges against him. At the beginning of the trial, the eldest son of the Norwegian princess pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape.
Earlier, Hoiby’s lawyer, Petar Sekulic, told Reuters that Hoiby did not admit criminal guilt to the rape or domestic violence charges, but admitted guilt to some of the less serious charges. “He will give a detailed explanation about this in court,” he said. The princess’s son is expected to testify on Wednesday.
On the eve of the start of the trial on Sunday, Marius Borg Hoiby was detained by Norwegian police on suspicion of causing bodily harm, possession of a knife and violating a restraining order. A court ruled on Monday that Hoiby could be remanded in custody for four weeks.
The trial, which is expected to last until March 19, is the biggest crisis to affect Norway’s royal family, despite Marius Borg Hoiby having no royal titles and being out of the line of succession. Furthermore, it comes at a time when the Epstein case files bring embarrassing data to the family. Princess Mette-Marie publicly apologized for exchanging messages with Jeffrey Epstein and for her lack of discernment in assessing the character of the sexual predator.
Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit do not plan to attend the trial, the former said in a statement, adding that he is confident that the justice system will be fair and adequate. About Marius, 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”, said Marius Borg Hoiby’s father, also expressing solidarity with the victims. “We think about them, we know that many are going through a difficult time,” he said.
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