Norwegian prosecutors seek 7+ years prison for princess's son in sexual assault trial

On Wednesday, Norwegian prosecutors stood in an Oslo courtroom and asked for seven years and seven months in prison for Marius Borg Høiby, the 29-year-old son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit, on charges of rape and assault against four women. Prosecutor Sturla Henriksbø framed the request with the weight of what sexual violence does to its survivors. "Rape can leave scars of suffering and destroy lives," he told the court. "It can be something a victim carries forever."

Høiby, who is not a formal member of the royal family—his mother married Crown Prince Haakon after his birth—sat in the courtroom in jeans and a short-sleeved blue polo shirt, his tattoos visible, his expression unmoved as the sentence request was announced. He faces 40 accusations in total, charges that could add up to 16 years behind bars. He admits to some of the acts he's accused of, but he denies the most serious allegations: that he sexually assaulted four women who were incapacitated and unable to consent.

The case began on August 4, 2024, when police arrested Høiby on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend. What followed was a search of his devices—phones and computers—that uncovered videos and images documenting the crimes he would later be charged with. The four women who say they were assaulted did not initially understand what had happened to them. Only when police showed them the recordings and explained what they depicted did the nature of the alleged crimes become clear. These incidents occurred after nights of drinking and drug use, Henriksbø said, often following consensual sexual contact that then continued without consent while the women slept.

One of the alleged assaults happened in the basement of Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit's own home, while the couple was upstairs. In his closing argument, Henriksbø painted a portrait of a man who believes he is entitled to everything, who does not bother to check whether his sexual partners want what he wants, especially when they are asleep. Høiby has insisted throughout the trial that all sexual contact was consensual and that he does not have a pattern of having sex with unconscious people. But the prosecutor described him differently: a man prone to violent outbursts, jealous, someone who under the influence of alcohol and drugs loses control entirely. "He can lose control, shout, throw phones, even knives, punch walls," Henriksbø said. "We heard accounts of strangulation, beatings, spitting."

Beyond the sexual assault charges, Høiby also faces accusations of transporting 3.5 kilograms of marijuana, making threats, violating restraining orders, damaging property, invading privacy, and traffic violations. During much of the trial, he has sat quietly, drawing, chewing gum, or using tobacco. On Friday, as the trial neared its end, he broke down in tears. He spoke of the pressure from the media, of how it has "erased" him as a person. "I'm not Marius anymore," he said. "I've become a monster. I've become the target of all of Norway's hatred."

Henriksbø, in a moment of apparent restraint, acknowledged the humanity in the accused. "Marius Borg Høiby is not a monster," the prosecutor said. "None of us are. We are all human beings with good qualities and flaws. He should not be judged for who he is, but for what he did." The case has dealt a serious blow to the image of Norway's monarchy. Victims' representatives will speak next, followed by the defense's closing arguments on Thursday. A verdict is not expected for weeks, possibly months.