Norway Crown Prince's stepson to receive rape trial verdict

Marius Borg Hoiby, the 29‑year‑old stepson of Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon, will learn on Monday whether the Oslo district court finds him guilty of rape, domestic violence, assault and drug possession. The seven‑week trial, which has captured national attention, presented evidence of Hoiby’s drug addiction, self‑made videos of sexual encounters and over 800 electronic messages. One alleged rape was said to have occurred in the basement of the royal family’s home.

If convicted on all counts, Hoiby faces a maximum sentence of seven years and seven months in prison. The case has coincided with a drop in public support for the monarchy, a trend analysts link to the trial and to Crown Princess Mette‑Marit’s recent apology for her past contact with Jeffrey Epstein.

The verdict comes as Mette‑Marit, Hoiby’s mother, battles severe pulmonary fibrosis and has been placed on Norway’s lung‑transplant list, a factor that observers say is softening public sentiment. “It was … a perfect crisis for the royal family because they had two crises at the same time,” said political‑communication professor Ketil Raknes.