Norway: Seven-year prison sentence requested for Marius Borg Høiby for rape

The Norwegian public prosecutor's office yesterday requested a seven-year, seven-month prison sentence for Marius Borg Høiby, who is being prosecuted for rape and violence against several former partners. This case, which has received considerable attention in Norway, involves the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, born from a relationship prior to her marriage to Crown Prince Haakon of Norway.

The 29-year-old defendant appeared in custody before the Oslo court. He faces a total of 40 charges, for which the maximum sentence is 16 years' imprisonment. While Marius Borg Høiby admits to some of the charges, he denies the most serious accusations, including the alleged rapes of four women whom the prosecution maintains were incapable of giving consent at the time.

Serious accusations

On the penultimate day of a seven-week trial, prosecutor Sturla Henriksbø emphasized the seriousness of the charges. He stressed that sexual violence can have lasting consequences, recalling that "Rape can leave deep scars and mark an entire life."

Faced with these statements and the sentence requested, Marius Borg Høiby remained impassive in court. Dressed in jeans and a short-sleeved polo shirt that revealed his tattoos, he showed no visible reaction.

This legal proceeding, widely covered by national and international media, has contributed to damaging the image of the Norwegian monarchy, which until now had largely been spared from scandals of this magnitude. This case constitutes one of the most sensitive legal matters indirectly involving the country's royal family in recent decades.

An investigation was launched following an arrest in 2024.

As a reminder, the events that triggered the investigation date back to August 4, 2024, when Marius Borg Høiby was arrested by police, suspected of having assaulted his partner the previous night. The examination of his electronic devices, including phones and computers, allowed investigators to discover images that could document several offenses.

According to the prosecution, some of the alleged victims only became aware of what had happened after being contacted by the authorities. The police then reportedly showed them the recordings and explained the potentially criminal nature of the acts, which led to the expansion of the charges.

Similar elements have already been observed in other legal cases in Europe, as highlighted in reports from the Council of Europe on sexual violence and consent, indicating that some victims only realize the facts after the fact, particularly in the presence of material evidence.

As the final arguments approach, a highly anticipated verdict is expected.

Following the prosecution's closing arguments, the floor will now be given to the lawyers representing the plaintiffs. Marius Borg Høiby's defense will then speak last, before the closing arguments scheduled for Thursday.

The verdict is not expected immediately. Given the complexity of the case and judicial practices in Norway, several weeks, or even several months, could be needed before the verdict is announced.