Marius Borg Høiby, the eldest son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, was sentenced to four years in prison Monday after being convicted of rape.
He was found guilty of two of the four rape charges he was facing and acquitted of the other two.
He was also convicted of assault and abuse in a close relationship. In addition to the prison sentence, Høiby was ordered to pay compensation to the victims.
Høiby was not present in court on Monday because of health reasons. He watched the reading of the verdict via a video link from prison.
Høiby’s lawyers told Norwegian media on Monday, after visiting him in prison, that he will appeal the convictions of rape and domestic abuse. The lawyers will also seek Høiby’s temporary release.
Høiby is “satisfied” with the relatively extensive acquittals, defense lawyer Petar Sekulic said in an email to Swedish news agency TT, but would appeal the parts of the verdict concerning the two rapes and the abuse in a close relationship.
Høiby, 29, had been charged with sexually assaulting four women who were asleep or otherwise unable to resist between 2018 and 2024.
He faced a total of 40 criminal charges including some for lesser offenses, such as assault, drug-related crimes and violations of a restraining order.
Høiby had denied the rape allegations but admitted to several of the lesser offenses.
Prosecutors had asked Oslo District Court to sentence him to seven years and seven months in prison, while defense lawyers had argued that he should be acquitted of the rape allegations and receive no more than 18 months for offenses he had admitted to.
The six-week trial concluded in March after testimony from multiple accusers and presentation of evidence, including messages, images and videos from Høiby’s cellphone.
The case has generated intense international attention because of Høiby’s connection to the royal family. Although he holds no royal title and has no official duties, he’s the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit from a relationship before her marriage to Crown Prince Haakon, the heir to Norway’s throne, and he grew up in the household with the future king.
Interest has intensified in recent days as Mette-Marit’s health has deteriorated. The crown princess, who has pulmonary fibrosis and is awaiting a lung transplant, has been at the center of legal arguments over whether her son should be granted temporary release from custody before the verdict. Appeals courts ruled that Høiby should remain detained while awaiting judgment.
The trial has also unfolded amid renewed scrutiny of the royal family following disclosures about Mette-Marit’s past contacts with Jeffrey Epstein, the deceased sex offender. She has publicly apologized for the association and said she exercised poor judgment in maintaining contact with him. She isn’t accused of any wrongdoing.
Lewis writes for the Associated Press.
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