The eldest son of Norway’s crown princess was slapped with rape and sexual assault charges in a case with a “double-digit number” of alleged victims, authorities announced Friday.
The bombshell charges against Marius Borg Høiby — the 28-year-old son of Princess Mette-Marit and stepson to the heir to the throne, Crown Prince Haakon — follow him being arrested numerous times in 2024 as accusers came forward.
“I cannot go into further detail about the number of victims in the case beyond confirming that it is a double-digit number,” Oslo Police Attorney Andreas Kruszewski said Friday.
The royal, who was previously known as “Little Marius” and has been open about being a one-time cocaine addict, cooperated when questioned by authorities, Kruszewski said.
Høiby is “absolutely taking the accusations very seriously,” his defense attorney, Petar Sekulic, said.
However, he “doesn’t acknowledge any wrongdoing in most of the cases – especially the cases regarding sexual abuse and violence,” his attorney stated.
Evidence leading to the charges came from interviews and also text messages, police said.
Høiby is facing one case of rape involving intercourse and two cases of rape without intercourse, as well as four cases of sexual assault and two cases of bodily harm.
He is free pending a possible trial as the royal palace reportedly told the Norwegian newswire NTB it would not comment while the case goes through “normal procedures.”
Høiby used to live with the royal couple and their two young adult children, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus, but now lives in a different house nearby, his defense attorney said.
While Høiby had the same immense wealth and privileges as his half-siblings, he previously admitted to cocaine use and addiction. His biological father Morton Borg, served time in prison for drugs and violent offenses.
With Post wires.
