Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway’s eldest son, Marius Borg Høiby, is once again in legal trouble.
Marius, 27, was arrested for suspicion of rape on Monday, November 18, according to multiple outlets. In a statement, police alleged that Marius violated the criminal code “which concerns sexual intercourse with someone who is unconscious or for other reasons unable to resist the act” and claimed he engaged “sexual act without intercourse” with an unwilling individual.
The alleged victim’s lawyer, Hege Salomon, told CNN that she is a woman in her 20s who did not know the Crown Princess’ son prior to meeting him on Monday. Marius, who was arrested late on Monday near the Skaugum royal estate, has denied the allegations.
Marius’ latest arrest comes three months after he was arrested for “psychologically and physically” attacking another woman in her 20s on August 4 in Oslo. He was held for 30 hours in police custody before being released, while the woman was treated for a concussion at a hospital and discharged the following day.
Marius issued a public apology later that month. “Last weekend something happened that should never have happened,” he said in a statement to the Norwegian outlet Se og Hør on August 15. “I committed bodily harm and destroyed objects in an apartment in the intoxication of alcohol and cocaine after an argument.”
He went on to explain that he has struggled with “several mental disorders” and “substance abuse,” and was receiving treatment. “The drug use and my diagnoses do not excuse what happened in the apartment at Frogner on the night of Sunday last weekend,” he stated. “I want to be responsible for what I have done and will explain myself truthfully to the police.”
Marius also apologized to his girlfriend, the victim of the attack. “For me, the most important thing is to say sorry to my girlfriend,” he said in his statement. “She deserved neither what happened that night, nor the extreme pressure from both the Norwegian and foreign press afterwards. Being pursued by photographers and journalists at a time like this I know has been tough to stand in.”
He concluded his statement by apologizing to his family, saying, “I know that my actions have greatly affected you. So to you, my love, I’m sorry. This should never have happened and I take full responsibility for my actions.”
Norway’s Princess Ingrid Alexandra (Front C) poses for a family photo with (Front L and R) Norway’s King Harald V and Norway’s Queen Sonja and (Back L-R) Marit Tjessem, Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon, Norway’s Prince Sverre Magnus and Marius Borg Hoiby on the occasion of a gala dinner for her 18th birthday in Oslo on June 17, 2022.
Following his August 4 arrest, Marius reportedly denied assault allegations made by two former girlfriends, Nora Haukland and Juliane Snekkestad. According to Norwegian public broadcaster NRK, Marius had been charged with “violence, damage, threats, reckless behavior and reach of a restraining order against an ex-girlfriend,” as well as faced abuse charges related to Haukland and Snekkestad and was charged for allegedly threatening a man.
Mette-Marit welcomed Marius with a previous partner before she wed Crown Prince Haakon of Norway in 2001. The couple went on to welcome kids Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 20, and Prince Sverre Magnus, 18, in 2004 and 2005, respectively. Marius does not hold a royal title and has been living out of the public eye since 2017.
