Norwegian royal family member sentenced to four years for rape
Marius Borg Høiby, the eldest son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit, was convicted of two rape counts and sentenced to four years in prison, with the verdict pending appeal.
Oslo District Court sentenced Marius Borg Høiby, 29, to four years’ imprisonment after finding him guilty of two rape charges and of assault and abuse in close relationships. He was acquitted of the other two rape counts and ordered to pay compensation to the victims.
The court heard that Høiby had sexually assaulted four women between 2018 and 2024 while they were asleep or otherwise unable to resist. In total, he faced 40 criminal charges, including lesser offenses such as assault, drug-related crimes and violations of a restraining order. He denied the rape allegations but admitted to several of the lesser offenses.
Prosecutors had sought a sentence of seven years and seven months, while his defense argued for acquittal on the rape counts and a maximum of 18 months for the offenses he admitted. The verdict is not final, and Høiby may appeal. He was absent from the courtroom for health reasons and viewed the reading of the judgment via video link from prison.
The six-week trial, which concluded in March, included testimony from multiple accusers and evidence from Høiby’s cellphone, such as messages, images and videos. Although he holds no royal title or official duties, the case has drawn international attention because of his relationship to Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who is currently ill and awaiting a lung transplant.