Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has been sentenced to four years in prison after an Oslo District Court found him guilty of several offenses, including two counts of rape. The ruling was delivered on June 15, 2026, nearly three months after his six-week trial ended, and brings to a close one of the most closely followed criminal cases involving a member of the Norwegian royal family in recent years. Høiby took part in the verdict hearing by video link rather than appearing in person. In addition to the prison term, the court imposed a two-year restraining order protecting one of the victims.
Høiby is the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit from a previous relationship. He was raised within the royal household after Mette-Marit married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001, but he does not hold a royal title and is not in the line of succession. His half-siblings, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus, remain next in line to the throne.
The case against Høiby involved 38 charges in total, including allegations of rape, sexual abuse, filming people without consent, sexually offensive conduct, assault, restraining-order violations, and drug and driving offenses. Prosecutors said the four rape allegations covered incidents between 2018 and 2024. His legal team denied all sexual abuse allegations and most of the violence charges, though he admitted to some lesser offenses.
The trial opened on February 3, 2026, shortly after Høiby was arrested again on February 1 in connection with alleged assault, threats involving a knife, and breaching a restraining order. On the first day of proceedings, he pleaded not guilty to the rape and abuse charges. He later admitted to some minor charges, including offensive sexual behavior, speeding, and driving without a license, and partially admitted to aggravated assault and reckless behavior.
The proceedings drew intense public attention because of Høiby’s royal connection and the seriousness of the accusations. During the trial, he was reported to have had an emotional breakdown while discussing his childhood. He also denied claims that he had rape-related videos on his phone and rejected allegations that he had drugged one of the women involved. Prosecutors sought a prison term of seven years and seven months, while his defense asked for 18 months. The court’s final sentence of four years was between those positions. Had he been convicted on all counts at the highest level, he could have faced up to 16 years in prison.
Judge Jon Sverdrup Efjestad convicted Høiby of assaulting his former girlfriend Nora Haukland, who was the only victim publicly named in the case. The court also ordered him to pay compensation to Haukland and three other women, while acquitting him of two other rape charges.
Crown Prince Haakon publicly responded to the case in January 2026, saying the family’s thoughts were with everyone affected and stressing the importance of the rule of law. The Norwegian royal family has also faced separate scrutiny during the same period over Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s name appearing in newly released Jeffrey Epstein files.
