The Crown Princess of Norway, Mette-Marit, has come under scrutiny following revelations in the latest release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, in which her name appears more than 1,000 times.
The disclosures coincide with the impending trial of her eldest son, Marius Borg Høiby, from a previous relationship, who faces 38 charges including rape, abuse in a relationship, violent acts, drug trafficking, and death threats. Prosecutors are seeking a 10-year sentence for the 29-year-old, with the trial expected to continue until mid-March.
Norwegian media have published exchanges between the princess and the convicted sex offender from 2011 to 2014, highlighting extensive contact. One email shows Mette-Marit querying whether it was “inappropriate for a mother to suggest two naked women carrying a surfboard for my 15-year-old son’s wallpaper.” Another email, responding to Epstein’s remark about being on a “wife hunt” in Paris, read: “Scandis [are] better wife material.”
Epstein, who pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution, hosted Mette-Marit at his Florida residence for four days in 2013. In response to the controversy, the 52-year-old princess acknowledged her error, stating she had failed “to check Epstein’s background more closely” and that she did not understand “quickly enough what kind of person he was.”
In a separate 2011 message, she admitted she had “googled” Epstein and noted that “it didn’t look too good,” ending the email with a smiling emoji. She added in a palace-issued statement to AFP: “I showed poor judgment and I deeply regret having had any contact with Epstein. It is simply embarrassing.”
The twin controversies, the Epstein files and her son’s criminal proceedings, have intensified public debate over the princess’s role and future, with some questioning whether the scandal could affect her path to queenship. While Marius Borg Høiby holds no official royal title or duties, the unfolding events have cast a shadow over the Norwegian royal family, traditionally regarded as one of Europe’s most popular monarchies.
Follow the latest news on Google News
