The stepson of Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon has been sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of rape and domestic violence, following a seven-week trial that has further damaged the reputation of the country’s royal family.
An Oslo court on Monday convicted 29-year-old Marius Borg Høiby of two counts of rape, including an assault that took place in the basement of the Crown Prince’s residence. He was acquitted of two other rape charges.
Høiby, whose mother, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001, had denied the most serious allegations against him, including rape, although he admitted to some lesser offences. He has the right to appeal the verdict.
Prosecutors had sought a prison sentence of seven years and seven months.
The high-profile case brought significant public attention to Høiby’s struggles with drug addiction and included evidence such as self-recorded videos of sexual encounters and more than 800 electronic messages presented during the trial.
While delivering the verdict, Oslo District Court Judge Jon Sverdrup Efjestad said the court found that one of the victims “was not able to resist the action,” referring to the rape that occurred at the Crown Prince’s home.
Høiby followed the proceedings via video link from prison and was neither seen nor heard inside the courtroom.
One of the women who accused him of rape attended the hearing and became emotional as the guilty verdict was announced. She was seen wiping away tears with a tissue handed to her by her lawyer after the judge confirmed Høiby’s conviction in her case.
The case has further tarnished the image of Norway’s royal family, which has traditionally enjoyed strong public support and a favourable reputation.
The controversy also comes amid scrutiny surrounding Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who previously apologised for what she described as “poor judgement” in maintaining contact with convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after his 2008 conviction.
Public confidence in the monarchy appeared to take a hit during the trial. A Norstat survey released on February 21 showed support for retaining the monarchy had fallen to a record low of 60%, down from 70% in January. At the same time, support for replacing the current system of governance rose from 19% to 27%.
However, a subsequent Norstat poll conducted in May indicated a modest recovery in public sentiment, with support for the monarchy rising to 64%, while 23% of respondents favoured an alternative system of government.
The verdict was delivered during a particularly difficult period for Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who is currently battling pulmonary fibrosis and is in need of a lung transplant.