Marius Borg Hoiby, 29, stepson of Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon, was found guilty of two counts of rape, one count of domestic violence, and other crimes by an Oslo court on June 15, 2026. He received a four-year prison sentence, while prosecutors had sought seven years and seven months behind bars [1, 2, 3].
Hoiby was acquitted on two additional rape charges. He pleaded not guilty to the most severe accusations of rape but admitted to some lesser offenses during the trial [1, 2, 3]. The court considered evidence presented over a seven-week period, including Hoiby’s documented drug addiction, self-made sexual videos, and more than 800 electronic messages entered into evidence [1, 2, 3].
One of the alleged rapes reportedly took place in the basement of the Crown Prince’s family home [1, 2, 3]. The case has had a significant impact on public opinion toward the Norwegian royal family, contributing to a decline in their popularity. A Norstat poll held in February 2026, amid the trial, showed monarchy support falling to a record low of 60% from 70% in January. By May, support had slightly recovered to 64%, though 23% of respondents favored a different governance system [3].
Crown Princess Mette-Marit also apologized during the trial for maintaining contact with convicted U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a matter that drew criticism alongside Hoiby’s case. Associate professor Ketil Raknes described the period as “a perfect crisis for the royal family because they had two crises at the same time. And they had a lot of (criticism) for the way they handled the Epstein files.” [3]
The verdict came as the Crown Princess’s health was deteriorating due to pulmonary fibrosis. In September 2026, she was placed on the national lung transplant waiting list [3].
