Norwegian Queen’s Son Appeals Rape Convictions as Epstein Association Adds to Royal Scrutiny

OSLO, Norway — Marius Borg Høiby, the eldest son of Norway’s Queen Mette-Marit, is appealing rape and domestic abuse convictions following a criminal trial that intensified scrutiny of the royal family alongside separate revelations about his mother’s contact with Jeffrey Epstein.

Oslo District Court sentenced Høiby, 29, to four years in prison on June 15 after finding him guilty of two counts of rape and other offenses. He was acquitted of two additional rape charges. In total, the court convicted him on 34 of 40 charges.

His appeal challenges the two rape convictions and a conviction involving abuse of a former girlfriend. The Borgarting Court of Appeal is scheduled to begin hearing the case Feb. 9, 2027. Because the convictions are under appeal, the June judgment is not final.

Høiby has denied the rape allegations. During the original proceedings, his defense disputed the prosecution’s evidence while acknowledging several lesser offenses.

The case grew out of an investigation that began after his arrest in August 2024. The subsequent charges included sexual offenses, violence, threats, property damage and violations of restraining orders.

Although closely connected to the monarchy, Høiby has no royal title or official duties. He is Mette-Marit’s son from a relationship before her 2001 marriage to Haakon, who was then Norway’s crown prince.

Mette-Marit became queen when Haakon succeeded his father, King Harald V, on Aug. 28. The original article’s references to her as crown princess therefore also require updating.

Her son’s prosecution unfolded alongside a separate controversy over her association with Epstein, the American financier and convicted sex offender.

Documents released earlier this year contained extensive correspondence involving Mette-Marit, prompting renewed questions about the duration and nature of their contact. The records also drew attention to her stay at an Epstein-owned property in Palm Beach, Florida, in early 2013.

Mette-Marit previously acknowledged the association and expressed regret. In a March interview, she again addressed the relationship and apologized for her judgment. Reports placed their contact between 2011 and 2014, after Epstein’s 2008 conviction in Florida.

The two matters are separate. References to Mette-Marit in Epstein-related records do not establish involvement in his crimes, and the reporting reviewed did not identify a criminal accusation against her connected to him.

Nevertheless, the overlapping controversies have placed the royal family under sustained pressure to explain personal associations and maintain public confidence.

For Høiby, the next major legal step is the appeal, which will revisit the contested convictions. For the monarchy, the challenge extends beyond the courtroom: preserving trust while distinguishing the responsibilities of its official members from the conduct of a relative who holds no public role.