Norwegian court denies release of Marius Borg, son of Crown Princess Mette‑Marit

Oslo’s district court had ordered the pre‑trial release of Marius Borg Høiby, the 29‑year‑old son of Crown Princess Mette‑Marit, citing the princess’s severe lung disease and the prospect of her needing a transplant. The decision was promptly appealed by prosecutors. On Wednesday, the Borgarting Court of Appeal rejected the request, keeping Borg in custody while he faces dozens of charges, including four counts of rape and repeated assault.

Borg, who has been held in pre‑trial detention for more than four months and is placed in isolation, argued that remaining in prison is unbearable as his mother’s health deteriorates. The defense described the appeal court’s ruling as “almost incomprehensible.” Mette‑Marit, 52, suffers from chronic pulmonary fibrosis and is awaiting a lung transplant, with doctors estimating a nine‑to‑ten‑year life expectancy without it. The royal family confirmed her condition has worsened in recent months.