When the police arrive at the address in the Frogner district of central Oslo in early August 2024, Marius Borg Høiby’s then-girlfriend has visible head injuries. There is a knife in the wall and a broken crystal chandelier on the floor. In a leaked phone call, Høiby tells the woman that he wants her dead and threatens to burn her things. This is the starting point for a wave of criminal charges against the “bonus prince”.
In total, there are around 40 charges against Marius Borg Høiby, Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s 29-year-old son from a previous relationship. The charges include four counts of rape, as well as assault in a close relationship, violation of a woman’s privacy, death threats and serious drug offences, among others. Høiby has admitted to some of the charges, but he denies the most serious allegations.
Prosecutor Sturla Henriksbø is seeking seven years and seven months in prison for the bonus prince.
Rape can leave lasting scars and destroy lives, Henriksbø said in his petition.
Multiple criminal suspicions
In addition to the woman in Frogner, two more former girlfriends have come forward and accused Høiby of violence. According to Aftenposten, they also informed the crown prince couple about the violence as early as 2023.
When the police went through Høiby’s phone and storage devices during the investigation, they found videos showing women’s genitals and him assaulting them. Several charges were added during the investigation, and according to Norwegian media, the last alleged rape occurred almost three months after the police began their investigation.
Wanted to get foot shackles
Marius Borg Høiby has been in custody since the beginning of February. He has repeatedly asked to be released from custody and instead be fitted with foot shackles, but both the district court and the Supreme Administrative Court, which is equivalent to the court of appeal, have rejected his request. This also happened in early June this year, when Mette-Marit was put on the waiting list for a lung transplant.
The Crown Princess is seriously ill with pulmonary fibrosis and her condition has deteriorated so much over the past six months that doctors assess that her life is in danger.
Høiby has remained in custody. His request was rejected because the risk of him committing new crimes was deemed high.
The trial began on February 3 and ended on March 19. The verdict will be handed down at 8:30 a.m. on June 15.
Marius Borg Høiby is 29 years old and the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway from a previous relationship with Morten Borg. Mette-Marit married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001.
