OSLO: Marius Borg Hoiby, the 28-year-old son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has been charged with raping four women and committing multiple acts of violence, carrying a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison, prosecutors announced on Monday.
Hoiby, born from a relationship before Mette-Marit married Crown Prince Haakon, has been under investigation since his arrest on August 4 last year on suspicion of assaulting a girlfriend. Prosecutors say he raped four women while they were asleep, and in at least three cases, had consensual sex with them earlier the same day. He is also accused of secretly filming their genitals. Investigators reportedly have video clips and photographs as evidence. The alleged rapes occurred in 2018, 2023, and 2024, with the last incident taking place after police had already begun investigating him.
Additional charges include domestic abuse against a former partner, multiple counts of violence, disturbing the peace, vandalism, and violating restraining orders against another ex-partner. The only victim identified by authorities is Hoiby’s ex-girlfriend, Nora Haukland, whom he allegedly physically and psychologically abused in 2022 and 2023.
“The violence included repeated blows to the face, choking, kicking, and other forms of physical abuse,” public prosecutor Sturla Henriksbo said. “These are serious crimes that can leave lasting scars and destroy lives. The maximum penalty is up to 10 years in prison.”
The royal palace has not commented directly. Spokeswoman Sara Svanemyr said, “It is for the courts to consider this matter and reach a decision.” Prosecutors emphasized that Hoiby, despite being a royal family member, will not receive special treatment and will face the law as any other citizen would.
Hoiby has admitted to assault and vandalism in an incident in August 2024. He previously stated that he acted under the influence of alcohol and cocaine after an argument and cited long-term struggles with mental health and substance abuse.
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Known for his “bad boy” persona, Hoiby has been under intense media scrutiny since his arrest. When rape allegations surfaced in November, he spent a week in custody—an unprecedented development for a member of Norway’s royal family—and subsequently entered rehab in London.
Hoiby grew up in a complex situation: the child of Mette-Marit’s brief relationship with Morten Borg, who has a criminal record, he was raised by the royal couple alongside his step-siblings Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus. Unlike them, he holds no official public role. Commentators describe his upbringing as living “in a grey zone, a kind of gilded cage,” caught between royal life and ordinary society.
Media reports suggest Hoiby associated with gang members, Hells Angels bikers, and Oslo’s Albanian mafia. Police reportedly warned him in 2023 after he was seen in the company of known criminals. He also faced arrest in 2017 for cocaine use at a music festival.