bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Agence France-Presse

The son of Norway’s crown princess is suspected of three rapes and nearly two dozen other offences, Norwegian police said Friday, handing the case to prosecutors to decide whether to press charges.
Marius Borg Hoiby, who was born as a result of a relationship before Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s marriage to Crown Prince Haakon, has been under investigation since his arrest on August 4 last year on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend.
The arrest led to a slew of allegations against the 28-year-old that have shaken the royal family.
Police lawyer Andreas Kruszweski told reporters the 10-month investigation had been completed.
Hoiby was suspected of “one count of rape with sexual intercourse” and “two counts of rape without sexual intercourse”, Kruszweski said.
Hoiby’s lawyer Ellen Holager Andenaes said her client rejected the three rape allegations.
Hoiby has previously admitted to assault and vandalism in the August 2024 incident.

In a public statement 10 days after his arrest, he said he had acted “under the influence of alcohol and cocaine after an argument”, having suffered from “mental troubles” and struggling “for a long time with substance abuse”.
Police said Hoiby was also suspected of four counts of sexually offensive behaviour, one count of abuse in a close relationship, two counts of bodily harm, one count of vandalism, one count of issuing threats, five violations of restraining orders, one count of insulting a police officer, and five traffic offences.
“I cannot elaborate on the number of victims in the case other than to confirm that we are talking about a double-digit number,” Kruszweski said.
Hoiby, a tall strapping blonde who cultivates a “bad boy” look with slicked back hair, earrings, rings and tattoos, has been in the eye of a media storm since his arrest.
When the rape allegations emerged in November, he spent a week behind bars in custody – unprecedented for a member of Norway’s royal family.
After his release, he reportedly went to rehab in London.
Hoiby is the child of a brief romance between his mother and Morten Borg – who has also been convicted of abuse and drug-related crimes – at a time when the future princess was part of Norway’s house music scene, known for its abundance of hash and ecstasy.
Hoiby was propelled into the spotlight at the age of four when his mother married Norway’s crown prince, with whom she went on to have two more children.
He was raised by the royal couple alongside his step-siblings Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus, aged 21 and 19.
Unlike them, however, he has no official public role.

Despite Mette-Marit’s attempts to shield him from the public eye, he has made headlines over the years.
“He has been put in a virtually impossible position: one foot in, one foot out. He is not technically part of the royal household but he grew up in it,” said Sigrid Hvidsten, royals commentator at the newspaper Dagbladet.
“He has lived in a grey zone, a kind of gilded cage,” she said in December 2024.
A cage that has not stopped him from keeping bad company in recent years.
According to media reports, he has hung out with gang members, Hells Angels bikers and members of Oslo’s Albanian mafia. In 2023, police contacted him to have a cautionary talk after he was seen moving in the same circles as “notorious criminals”.
Once the assault scandal hit the headlines in August, it emerged that Hoiby had already been arrested in 2017 for using cocaine at a music festival.
He has lived a comfortable lifestyle provided for by his mother and stepfather, and has shown little interest in academic studies or work.
Several of his ex-girlfriends were among the plaintiffs in cases against him.
His excesses have struck a blow to the monarchy, at least temporarily, though it remains popular, in particular King Harald and Crown Prince Haakon.
A poll published in December by Norwegian broadcaster NRK showed 45 per cent of people questioned said their opinion of the royal household had deteriorated over the past year.


Bangladesh to airlift wounded uprising leader to Singapore after election shooting

Australia to strengthen gun laws after Bondi Beach massacre by father and son

‘Terrified’ Australia man with same name misidentified as Sydney’s Bondi gunman

Malaysia to get back US$30 million worth of fine art linked to 1MDB scandal

Crime

Norwegian princess’ ‘bad boy’ son suspected of 3 rapes

Marius Borg Høiby has been under investigation since his arrest on August 4 last year on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend. Photo: AFP

Marius Borg Høiby and his mother Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit. Photo: AFP

Hoiby, a tall strapping blonde who cultivates a “bad boy” look with slicked back hair, earrings, rings and tattoos, has been in the eye of a media storm since his arrest. Photo: AP

Japan police uncover ‘online paedophile group’ of teachers

Japanese schoolchildren enjoying a field trip. Photo: Shutterstock 

Primary school pupils head for classes in Osaka, western Japan. Photo: Kyodo/AP

France charges UK man over staged Disneyland ‘marriage’ with child

The man is suspected of hiring Disneyland Paris before it opened to the public on Saturday for the staged wedding event, in a contract worth €130,000 (US$151,000). Photo: EPA-EFE

Disneyland Paris “immediately cancelled” the staged wedding “after the identification of significant irregularities”. Photo: AP

Chinese student Zhenhao Zou jailed for life in UK for drugging and raping women

Zhenhao Zou, who was convicted of drugging and raping 10 women in the UK and China. Photo: Metropolitan Police via Reuters

Zhenhao Zou, 28, who lived in south London, was found guilty in March of 28 offences, including 11 counts of rape. Photo: AFP

The bedroom of a flat where Zhenhao Zou used to live. Photo: Reuters

A butanediol bottle recovered from Zhenhao Zou. Photo: Metropolitan Police via Reuters

7 men in UK convicted in latest trial over ‘grooming gangs’ scandal

The Eastwood area of Rotherham in northern England. A 2014 inquiry found at least 1,400 children were subjected to sexual exploitation in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013. Photo: AFP

Grooming gangs in other towns and cities in England have also prompted criminal prosecutions and local inquiries. Photo: AFP

News

World

Europe

Marius Borg Hoiby, 28, is also suspected of nearly two dozen other offences like vandalism, issuing threats and violating restraining orders


Marius Borg Hoiby, 28, is also suspected of nearly two dozen other offences like vandalism, issuing threats and violating restraining orders.


Norwegian princess’ ‘bad boy’ son suspected of 3 rapes

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Marius Borg Hoiby, 28, is also suspected of nearly two dozen other offences like vandalism, issuing threats and violating restraining orders

Marius Borg Hoiby, 28, is also suspected of nearly two dozen other offences like vandalism, issuing threats and violating restraining orders