Norway’s normally private royal family is under intense public scrutiny again this week as the rape trial of the crown prince’s son-in-law begins just days after a newly released set of Epstein files linked the crown princess to the late sex offender.
Marius Borg Hojbi, 29, was charged with 38 crimes, including rape and repeated abuse of his ex-partner. The acts of violence included repeatedly punching his girlfriend in the face, choking her, threatening her and destroying her property, according to an indictment seen by CNN.
If convicted, Hojbi could be sentenced to more than 10 years in prison, according to Norwegian public broadcaster NRK. Charges also include non-consensual sexual filming and photography, drug-related and driving offenses, according to documents.
“He denies all charges of sexual abuse and most of the charges of violence,” defense lawyer Petar Sekulić said late last year in response to the charges against Hojbi. Mr. Hoiby will “present to the court a detailed account of his version of events,” Mr. Sekurich added.
CNN has reached out to Hoiby’s attorney for further comment.
Højbi, the stepson of Norway’s Crown Prince Prince Haakon, is out of line of succession to the Norwegian throne because he was born before his mother, Mette Marit, married Prince Haakon in 2001 and became a princess.
Højbi will appear in Oslo District Court on Tuesday for the start of a trial expected to last seven weeks, which experts say is an unprecedented moment for a royal family known for its stability. The trial also follows Friday’s latest release of more Jeffrey Epstein files by the U.S. Department of Justice, including numerous emails between Epstein and Crown Princess Mette-Marit.
Police prosecutor Andreas Kruszewski announced on Monday that ahead of his trial, Høiby was arrested on Sunday night on further charges, including threatening with a knife and breaching a restraining order. CNN has reached out to Hoiby’s attorney for comment on the latest charges.
Norwegians are shocked by the allegations but will likely watch the trial largely out of concern for King Harald’s wider family, led by a popular “grandfather figure” and generally well-liked, royal experts say. Harald has been King of Norway since 1991 and is Europe’s oldest monarch.
Tove Talesen, royal correspondent for news agency Netavisen, told CNN ahead of the trial: “Most people understand that (Mr Høiby) is not a working royal employee and this case is a personal and legal matter, not an institutional one.”
Tallesen, who worked in the country’s royal palace for more than a decade, said the crown prince’s response to the incident was widely interpreted in Norway as “planned and strategic.”
“By expressing his love for Marius while at the same time withdrawing from legal proceedings and public commentary, he has set clear boundaries that have likely helped limit the widespread reputational damage,” she said.
One of the boundaries, according to the royal family, is that neither Haakon nor the Crown Princess intends to attend court. This is a clear sign of the family’s efforts to publicly distance themselves from the incident.
Haakon issued an unusual statement last week claiming that Højbi “has autonomy because he is not a member of the Norwegian royal family.”
“We care about him and he is an important member of our family. He is a Norwegian citizen and therefore has the same responsibilities and the same rights as everyone else,” Haakon said.
Haakon added that the family intends to continue with their public duties as usual and will not comment on court proceedings while the trial continues.
The brewing scandal began in 2024, when Mr Hoiby was arrested on suspicion of raping a woman in her 20s, a charge he denied through his lawyer at the time. Just a few days later, he was charged with a second rape. His lawyer said he also denied the allegations.
Adding insult to injury, the trial comes amid renewed scrutiny of Mette-Marit’s past relationship with Epstein, for which she has since expressed regret and embarrassment.
Emails released Friday by the U.S. Department of Justice appear to indicate a friendly relationship between the two, years after Epstein pleaded guilty to sexual solicitation of a minor.
In a 2012 email sent to Epstein from HKH Kronprinsessen, which means “His Royal Highness” in Norwegian, Mette-Marit called the late sex offender a “lover” and “kind-hearted.”
In another email exchange from 2012, she called Epstein “very attractive” and added: “Is it inappropriate for a mother to suggest two naked women with surfboards as her 15-year-old son’s wallpaper?”
In another conversation in 2012, Epstein told Mette-Marit that he was “looking for a wife,” adding: “Paris is interesting, but I prefer Scandinavians (sic).” In response, Mette-Marit said Paris was “suitable for an affair” and “scandal is suitable for a wife.”
Mette-Marit admitted she had “poor judgment” in her contact with Epstein, but said Epstein was “solely responsible for his actions.”
“I must take responsibility for not investigating Mr. Epstein’s background more thoroughly and for not recognizing the kind of person he was sooner. I deeply regret this, and this is a responsibility I must bear,” he said in a statement to CNN.
“I showed poor judgment and regret for coming into contact with Epstein. I am truly ashamed. I would like to express my deep sympathy and solidarity with the victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse.”
In a society that places great responsibility on the integrity and openness of its leaders, how the palace responds to increased public attention will be important, Talesen said. She believes the Epstein-related revelations have shifted the discussion away from allegations of “individual misconduct” in the Hoiby case and toward broader criticism of the institution’s credibility.
“The balance between openness and restraint will determine whether this is a permanent turning point or a contained crisis,” she said.
CNN’s Li-Lian Ahlskog Hou contributed reporting.
