Lawyers for the eldest son of the Crown Princess of Norway called on Thursday for him to be acquitted and sentenced to no more than 18 months in prison for other crimes, as six weeks of high-profile court proceedings have cast a shadow over the royal family.
Prosecutors this week sought a sentence of seven years and seven months in prison for Marius Borg-Hoibi, who denies rape charges. A ruling is expected later.
Hojby, 29, is Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s son from a previous marriage and stepson of Crown Prince Haakon, heir to the Norwegian throne. He was charged with 40 crimes in total, including four counts of rape between 2018 and 2024 of women who prosecutors said were unable to give consent because they were asleep or otherwise incapacitated.
Defense lawyers for Hoiby, who has no royal title or official duties, said there was no evidence to support the rape allegation. However, he admitted to a lesser offense in the case.
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Editor’s note: This story includes discussion of sexual assault. If you or someone you know needs help, please call 1-800-656-4673 The National Sexual Assault Hotline or +47 800 57 000 Norwegian helpline for victims of sexual abuse.
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intense spotlight
Hojby’s trial at the Oslo District Court drew intense national and international attention, thrusting the royal family into an unwanted spotlight and exposing a rarely seen side of the country’s elite social scene.
Mette-Marit has come under scrutiny in recent weeks for her relationship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This raised questions about her judgment, although she was not accused of any wrongdoing.
About 70 witnesses testified at the trial, and hundreds of text messages and digital evidence were presented. Prosecutors presented photos and videos recovered from Hoiby’s phone.
During the trial, Hoiby denied having sex with the sleeping woman and said the encounters were consensual. He admitted a number of lesser offenses including drug possession, transporting 3.5kg of cannabis in 2020, traffic breaches and breaching a restraining order involving his ex-partner. He also partially admitted conduct relating to violence and threats but disputed key aspects of the charges, including intent.
Defense lawyer Ellen Holager Andenæs said on Thursday that a maximum sentence of 18 months was appropriate for the charges he admitted.
The defense argued that Hoiby had been under intense media pressure because of his ties to the royal family, which they said affected public perception of the case.
During the trial, Hoiby said the scrutiny “erased his character,” adding that he was shunned by large parts of his social circle and struggled with depression.
“My whole life is community property,” he said. “I am no longer Marius, I am a monster.”
Defense lawyer Petar Sekulic said the media coverage was “bordering on the frenzy, but almost beyond what people feared in advance”.
The investigation into Hoiby began in 2024. Police were first called to an apartment in Oslo’s upscale Frogner neighborhood following reports of violence. Hoiby was arrested and later released, but the case grew as more women came forward with accusations.
Rape allegation at heart of case
The trial centers on four rape charges, each of which is alleged to have occurred following consensual sex. Their focus was on whether the women were able to resist and whether Hoibi understood their situation.
Prosecutor Sturla Henriksbø told the court on Wednesday that Hojby should be tried “not for who he is, but for what he did” and outlined what he described as a pattern of behavior in the charges. He cited repeated violations of rules and boundaries, including interactions with police, breaches of restraining orders and what he said was a disregard for women’s consent to perform sex acts or be filmed.
“The rules are designed so that a person cannot get away with taking drugs or being drunk,” said Henriksberg, who argued that courts should evaluate cases based on how a sober person would understand the situation.
Henriques Bo told the court: “Rape and abuse in an intimate relationship are among the most serious acts that can be suffered by another person and this must be reflected in the punishment.”
Summing up the defense case, Sekulik said there was no evidence to support the rape allegation and that any pictures or videos seen during the trial did not prove a crime. He questioned the credibility of the alleged victim.
Sekulik acknowledged a “lack of compassion” in some aspects of Hoiby’s behavior but said that should not affect the court’s decision.
“So-called bad behavior, moral turpitude, behavior that is not punishable by criminal law should be ignored,” he told the court. “It doesn’t matter.”
