Police have once again raided the residence of Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s troubled son Marius Borg Høiby, this time his relatively new apartment in Oslo’s affluent Frogner neighbour. He also faces new criminal charges in addition to the 32 he’ll go on trial for next month.
Details were sketchy and police were reluctant to comment, but newspaper Aftenposten reported Monday that Høiby has been charged with additional offenses. The 32-count indictment includes rape, violence in close relationships, other assaults, vandalism and making threats, along with various traffic violations.
Høiby, who’s due to turn 29 on Tuesday, has only admitted so far to the charges filed after he’d gone on a rampage in a girlfriend’s apartment in Oslo and was arrested on August 4, 2024. He was at the time living in a house on the royal estate at Skaugum west of Oslo, which is the home of his mother, Crown Prince Haakon, his step-sister Princess Ingrid Alexandra and step-brother Prince Sverre Magnus.
He’s since been living in the apartment in Oslo, where police reportedly have carried out a new search. Now a new police investigation is underway, Oslo police confirmed to news bureau NTB later on Monday. His defense attorney Ellen Holager Andenæs declined comment.
Høiby has claimed he was under the influence of cocaine during his rampage in August 2024, but then he was arrested two more times on other charges including sexual assault. He later denied all the other charges in the 32-count indictment that was handed down last summer. His trial on those charges, which involve six different alleged victims, is due to begin in early February.
Prosecutors have insisted that Høiby is not getting any special treatment as the son of the crown princess, who was a single mother to him when she first met Crown Prince Haakon in the late 1990s and later married him. Even though Høiby initially was included in the royal family he was never given a royal title and legally hasn’t been considered a member of the royal family for several years. His family has continued to support him financially, though, with his maternal grandmother recently paying some of his legal fees in another case.
State broadcaster NRK reported later on Monday that the new charges against Høiby include violence and violation of a restraining order, possibly against one of his earlier alleged victims. It remained unclear why Høiby hasn’t been held in police custody since his release after his third arrest, despite the long list of charges against him and indications that he was a repeat offender. He’s also been allowed to leave the country, for example when he reportedly was on holiday in Portugal with Crown Prince Haakon and Prince Sverre Magnus last summer.
Both King Harald and Crown Prince Haakon have publicly expressed their concern for the alleged victims in the massive case against Høiby, but have otherwise declined comment on the police investigation. No members of the royal family are expected to be called in to testify at Høiby’s trial, nor will they be in the courtroom.
NewsinEnglish.no staff
