In brief
Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit, is currently on trial for rape and other offenses. In emotional testimony, he struggled to recount events, alleging constant media scrutiny since childhood. He faces allegations from multiple women, including claims of drugging during alleged assaults. His mother postponed a trip amidst growing scrutiny over her past communication with a convicted sex offender, adding complexity to their family's situation.
The son of Norway's crown princess has begun giving evidence at his trial for rape and more than 30 other alleged offences. Marius Borg Høiby, 29, looked overwhelmed by the occasion, his voice quivering as he paused several times to take off his glasses and wipe his eyes. Choking back tears, he said it was very difficult to talk, and complained of being followed by the press since he was three years old.He denies four allegations of rape as well as other serious charges against him. He was giving evidence after the first woman he is alleged to have raped told the court she believed she had been drugged during an after-party in the basement of his parents' house in December 2018.The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, spoke of her sense of betrayal and shock after she was shown videos by police allegedly of him sexually assaulting her shortly after they had had brief, consensual sex. She had already spoken of a black hole in her memory, telling the court behind closed doors she had no recollection of what happened.The 29-year-old defendant, who was born four years before his mother, Mette-Marit married Norway's Crown Prince Haakon, is not a member of the royal family or a public figure. During his first appearance in court on Tuesday, he was seen shaking, and is understood to have had hospital treatment overnight, rather than returning to custody. In subsequent court appearances, he explained that he had had a lot of sex, drugs, and alcohol due to an extreme need for validation. His trial coincides with a tense moment for his mother, after it was revealed that she exchanged hundreds of messages with the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein over a three-year period. The royal palace confirmed Crown Princess Mette-Marit postponed a private trip until further notice as the public scrutiny escalates.
