Who is Marius Borg Høiby? Son of Norwegian crown princess sentenced to 4 years in rape case | Today’s news
Marius Borg Høiby, the eldest son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has been sentenced to four years in prison after a court in Oslo convicted him of two counts of rape. New York Post reported.
The 29-year-old was found guilty of two counts of rape and acquitted of two others after a closely watched trial that lasted six weeks. He was also convicted of assault and intimate partner abuse and ordered to pay compensation to the victims.
The verdict attracted considerable attention because of Høiby’s connection to the Norwegian royal family, even though he is not a member of the country’s royal house.
Read also | Meta has spent $14 billion on AI, but its engineers still prefer Claude for coding
Who is Marius Borg Høiby?
Marius Borg Høiby was born before Crown Princess Mette-Marit married Haakon, heir to the Norwegian throne, in 2001.
After his marriage, Høiby became part of the extended royal family and grew up in the public eye. However, unlike members of the Norwegian monarchy, he does not hold a royal title and does not perform official royal duties.
Earlier this year, Crown Prince Haakon highlighted this difference when speaking about the case.
“Marius Borg Høiby is not a member of the Norwegian Royal Family and is therefore autonomous,” he said.
“He is a citizen of Norway and as such has the same obligations as everyone else – and also the same rights.”
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess also announced they would not be attending the court.
Read also | OpenAI, anthropic IPO boom prompts Satya Nadella warning against AI monopolies
What was the case about?
Høiby faced a total of 40 charges, including allegations of violence, threats and abuse.
Among the most serious allegations were claims he sexually assaulted four women between 2018 and 2024. Prosecutors alleged the incidents occurred while the women were asleep or otherwise unable to resist.
The 29-year-old denied the rape charges but admitted to several lesser offences, including some assault and drug charges.
During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence obtained from Høiby’s cell phone, including messages, photos and videos. Several women also testified in court.
One plaintiff described an incident that allegedly took place in a hotel room in November 2024.
According to Agence France-Presse, she told the court that Høiby “just wouldn’t stop” after they initially had consensual sex.
“I was getting more and more tired. It felt like I was just laying there and he just wouldn’t stop,” she testified.
“The more tired I got, the less I participated.
The woman further claimed that she told Høiby she wanted to sleep before waking up later, which she described as a “violent blow” to the genital area.
“It was painful. I think I just froze and then fell back asleep.”
Høiby denied the accusations throughout the proceedings.
Read also | I asked ChatGPT: Am I experiencing career burnout or career rust?
What did the court decide?
A court in Oslo convicted Høiby of two counts of rape and acquitted him of two others.
He was also found guilty of assault and intimate partner abuse.
Prosecutors sought a prison sentence of seven years and seven months. His defense lawyer argued that he should be acquitted of the rape charge and should receive no more than 18 months for the crimes he admitted.
The court finally sent him to prison for four years.
What happens next?
Høiby appeared via video link instead of attending court in person. His lawyers said he was prevented from attending for health reasons. He has been in a police cell since the beginning of February.
He retains the right to appeal the conviction and sentence.
The case has become one of the most watched trials involving a person connected to the Norwegian royal family in recent years, sparking intense public scrutiny and renewed debate about the liability of public figures and those connected to royal institutions.
