Just In: Princess’s son arrested on new charges hours before rape trial begins
Just In: Princess’s son arrested on new charges hours before rape trial begins
Marius Borg Høiby has reportedly been arrested just hours before his trial for multiple charges, including rape, sexual assault and bodily harm begins in Oslo tomorrow. Norwegian news website TV2 reports that Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s son was arrested on Sunday evening for assault, threats with a knife and violation of a restraining order.
Sharing the update in a press release, local police have requested a four-week prison sentence for Høiby on the grounds of the risk that he may commit new offences. “The Oslo Police District can confirm that Marius Borg Hoiby was arrested by the police on Sunday evening, suspected of causing bodily harm, making threats with a knife, and violating a restraining order,” the force said in a statement.
On February 3, Høiby will appear in Oslo District Court, where he is facing 38 charges. His mother and stepfather, Crown Prince Haakon, have confirmed that they will not be present for the trial. The counts on which he is charged include alleged rape, abuse in a close relationship against one former partner, and acts of violence against another, making death threats, and traffic violations.
The news of Høiby’s arrest comes after his mother was embroiled in scandal after her name appeared almost 1,000 times in the latest release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
It also follows a rare statement on his case by his stepfather Crown Prince Haakon. In an update posted on the Norwegian Royal Family website, the update read: “We are thinking a lot about all the parties involved in this matter. This is something that affects them, their families, those who love them. We care about them. We know that many of you are going through a difficult time right now.
“At the same time, it is good to know that we live in a state governed by the rule of law. I am sure and have confidence that those responsible for the trial will work to ensure that it is conducted in as orderly, proper and fair a manner as possible.
Marius Borg Høiby is not part of the Royal Family, so in that sense he is free. But we love him, of course, and he is an important part of our family. And he is a citizen of Norway. Through that, he has the same responsibilities as everyone else, but also the same rights.
Until the end of last year, the Norwegian Royal Family had remained predominantly quiet on Høiby’s case. However, in an interview with the Times in December, the Crown Princess spoke about the limitations she is facing due to her pulmonary fibrosis diagnosis, before going on to reject claims that she had tipped her son off about one of his previous impending arrests with a phone call.
I think it’s been quite a strain to be accused of such serious things, which of course I did not do,” Mette-Marit said. “The thing that perhaps upsets me the most is being criticised for how we’ve handled it as parents, that we didn’t take it seriously. I find that hard.
The Princess said the family had sought “professional help” for her son. “So it feels a little unfair [to claim] that we didn’t take the situation seriously, because I think we have,” she said. “Being a parent is the most vulnerable thing you can do. And I think all parents … will recognise that there is an incredible amount of self-blame involved.
