Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has given a much-anticipated interview on her contacts with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which is due to be broadcast by NRK TV on Friday.
The interview was recorded with Crown Prince Haakon at their residence in Skaugum on Thursday, as her son Marius Borg Høiby's rape trial neared an end at Oslo District Court. His trial began at the start of February, as his mother faced mounting questions over her links to Epstein which came to light in hundreds of emails.
The crown princess has already issued an apology and admitted to showing poor judgement, but had said she needed time before explaining herself in greater detail. As the scandals buffeting Mette-Marit's family mounted, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said at the time he agreed that she had exercised poor judgement. It was seen as a rare public criticism of a royal figure.
Although the crown princess stayed away from the trial, the timing of her interview indicates she and the crown prince were waiting for proceedings to come to an end before going public.
The seven-week trial has been followed very closely by Norwegians, who have seen Høiby grow up alongside the royal family without being a member of it. He was four when his mother married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001. The 29-year-old faces 40 charges ranging from four counts of rape and serious assault and abuse to drugs and traffic violations. He denies the most serious charges and his defence lawyers have indicated he should be cleared of rape, suggesting an 18-month jail term for the offences he admits to.
Prosecutors have requested a sentence of seven years and seven months, with judges expected to give their verdict in June. Although Høiby is not a public figure, the royal family's association with him has not spared them from criticism.
The first rape charge against him, dating back to 2018, took place at the crown prince and princess's official Skaugum estate outside Oslo. Commentators have referred to his trial as the biggest scandal the Norway's royals have ever faced. Meanwhile, public scrutiny of Crown Princess Mette-Marit's previous connections to Epstein intensified following the revelation of hundreds of emails linking her to the disgraced financier.
She had once spent four days at Epstein's Palm Beach house while he was not present, and acknowledged knowing his troubled history through one email exchange from 2011. Following the revelation, she apologized both to Norwegians and to King Harald V and Queen Sonja, emphasizing that some of the content of her messages with Epstein did not reflect the person she aspired to be.
Compounding difficulties, Mette-Marit is dealing with health issues, including pulmonary fibrosis. The Crown Prince mentioned that while she wishes to speak publicly, her health currently restricts her ability. In light of this situation, her associations with charitable organizations have come under review, with some ending their collaborations with her.
The Norwegian parliament has approved an inquiry into potential links between the foreign ministry and Epstein, as part of efforts to restore public trust in governmental institutions.
