Norway’s Crown Princess’s Son Gets 4 Years as Royal Rape Verdict Splits Down the Middle

An Oslo court on Monday, June 15, 2026, sentenced Marius Borg Høiby, the 29-year-old eldest son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, to four years in prison after convicting him on two of four rape charges and acquitting him on the other two; he was also convicted of assault and abuse in a close relationship. Prosecutors had sought seven years and seven months, while defense lawyers argued for acquittal on the rape counts and no more than 18 months on the lesser charges Høiby had admitted to; he was ordered to pay compensation to his victims and watched the verdict by video link from prison rather than appear in court. Defense attorney Petar Sekulic said Høiby is “satisfied” with the acquittals and will appeal the rape and domestic-abuse convictions [1].

The charges involved four women assaulted while asleep or otherwise unable to resist between 2018 and 2024, and followed a six-week trial that concluded in March 2026. Høiby holds no royal title and has no official duties, but is widely known as the son Mette-Marit had before marrying Crown Prince Haakon, and grew up in the royal household alongside the future king [2].

Why It Sucks:

The Victims and Their Advocates

• Half the rape charges ended in acquittal. Two of the four rape counts Høiby faced were dismissed entirely, leaving survivors who came forward with only partial legal vindication after a six-week trial [1].
• A sentence less than half what prosecutors sought. Prosecutors pushed for seven years and seven months; the court delivered four, a gap that advocates for survivors say undercuts the deterrent value of pursuing a case at all [1].
• The convicted man didn’t even show up to hear the verdict. Høiby followed the ruling by video link from prison rather than face the women who accused him in person, a detail survivors’ supporters say compounds the sense of unaccountability [1].

The Norwegian Royal Family

• A scandal lands inside the royal household itself. Even without a title, Høiby grew up alongside the future king, meaning the verdict reflects directly on a family that has spent decades cultivating a low-key, scandal-free public image [2].
• The timing couldn’t be worse for Mette-Marit. The Crown Princess has been navigating her own serious health issues even as the case against her son played out in public over a six-week trial [2].
• An appeal means the story isn’t over. With Høiby’s lawyer confirming plans to appeal the rape and abuse convictions, the royal family faces months more of renewed scrutiny rather than closure [1].

Critics of the Monarchy

• A non-royal still gets royal treatment. Critics note Høiby holds no formal title yet was permitted to skip his own verdict hearing by video link from custody, the kind of accommodation that fuels arguments about preferential treatment for those connected to the crown [1].
• Another scandal, another round of “why fund this.” The case marks the latest embarrassment to touch Norway’s publicly funded monarchy, reigniting longstanding republican arguments that taxpayers shouldn’t underwrite a family now associated with a high-profile rape trial [2].
• The institution gets to stay above the fray. Because Høiby has no official royal duties or title, the palace can treat this as a private family matter rather than an institutional reckoning, a distinction critics call a convenient dodge [2].

Sources & Citations:

[1] PBS News: Eldest son of Norway’s crown princess sentenced to 4 years in prison after rape conviction
[2] NBC News: Norway crown princess’ son convicted of rape, sentenced to 4 years in prison