Norwegian court denies release of Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s son

Oslo courts have refused to release Marius Borg Høiby, the 29‑year‑old son of Crown Princess Mette‑Marit, despite his plea to be near his ailing mother. The Crown Princess is suffering from advanced pulmonary fibrosis and has been placed on a national waiting list for a lung transplant. Høiby remains in custody pending a June 15 verdict on 40 criminal charges that include rape of four women, domestic abuse and drug‑related offenses. Prosecutors are seeking a sentence of over seven years and argue that releasing him poses a risk of reoffending, while his defence argued that continued detention would be “disproportionately intrusive” given his mother’s condition. An appeal court upheld the lower court’s decision, emphasizing public safety over the emotional hardship. The case highlights Norway’s strict child‑welfare and criminal‑justice standards, even when high‑profile royal family members are involved, and may set a precedent for how the judiciary balances royal privacy with legal obligations.