EXCLUSIVE: Norwegian Royal Family 'Shaken to its Core' By Arrest of Crown Princess' Son Over 'Knife Threats' on Eve of His Rape Trial
Marius Borg Hoiby is facing years behind bars.
Feb. 3 2026, Published 8:00 p.m. ET
Marius Borg Hoiby is at the center of a criminal case that has shaken Norway's monarchy "to its core" – with the arrest of the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit intensifying pressure on the royal household just as his rape trial begins.
RadarOnline.com can reveal Hoiby, 29, the eldest child of Crown Princess Mette-Marit – from a relationship before her marriage to Crown Prince Haakon – was arrested in Oslo over the weekend on suspicion of assault, threatening a woman with a knife, and breaching a restraining order.
Marius Borg Hoiby Detained Before Trial
Police arrested Marius Borg Hoiby in Oslo for suspicion of assault and breaching a restraining order.
Cops confirmed he will remain in custody for four weeks after judges at the Oslo district court ruled there was a significant risk he would reoffend.
The arrest came on the eve of a trial in which Hoiby now faces 38 charges, including four counts of rape, alongside allegations of sexual molestation, bodily harm, and serious narcotics offenses, with the legal proceedings against him scheduled to run until March 19.
Police said the latest allegations relate to an ex-girlfriend and mirror an earlier admitted attack in 2024 at her apartment in the Frogner district, where Hoiby smashed a chandelier and stuck a knife into a wall.
He has previously acknowledged acting under the influence of alcohol and cocaine. Judges ordered his detention until March 2, citing the gravity of the alleged conduct.
Marius Borg Hoiby Faces Years Behind Bars
Crown Princess Mette-Marit apologized publicly for her past contact with Jeffrey Epstein.
On the morning of Tuesday, February 3, Hoiby pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape, standing in court and muttering a negative response when asked to enter his plea.
Prosecutor Sturla Henriksbo said, "He will neither be treated more leniently nor more severely because of his family."
Hoiby pleaded guilty to some lesser offenses and faces up to 16 years in prison if convicted.
The investigation has uncovered allegations that four women were raped while asleep or heavily intoxicated between 2018 and 2024, with some incidents allegedly filmed.
Six additional charges were added last month, including transporting 3.5kg of cannabis in 2020, an offense he has admitted without receiving payment.
An 'Embarrassing' Epstein Connection
Hoiby admitted to transporting three and a half kilograms of cannabis in 2020.
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The case has landed amid broader turmoil for the royal family, which now faces renewed scrutiny of its role and judgment.
A senior political source said the arrest had left the institution "shaken to its core," adding that the timing – on the eve of a televised trial – risked deepening public unease about the monarchy's standing.
Norway's royal household has sought to distance itself from the proceedings.
Crown Prince Haakon and Mette-Marit will not attend the trial, nor will King Harald V or Queen Sonja.
Hoiby, who is not a formal member of the royal household, previously held a diplomatic passport that was revoked last year.
The monarchy is also contending with fallout from newly released Jeffrey Epstein files, which referenced Mette-Marit's past contact with the financier.
At the weekend, she apologized publicly, saying she "deeply regretted" her "poor judgment" and adding: "It is just embarrassing."
The prosecutor stated the family's status would not influence the legal outcome.
Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said Mette-Marit and former Prime Minister Thorbjorn Jagland had "demonstrated poor judgment," stressing that being named in documents did not imply wrongdoing.
Historian and royal commentator Trond Noren Isaksen said the accumulation of scandals had "obviously" damaged the royal family's standing, though support for the monarchy remained around 70 per cent.
"This won't even reach a simple majority," he said, referring to proposals to replace the monarchy with a republic, as parliament prepares for another debate under an increasingly unforgiving spotlight.
He added: "There are some parties that will vote in favor of it, and there are also some MPs who will break with the party line to vote in favour of the proposal. But we know it won't be enough to introduce a republic."
