Marius Borg Hoiby, the eldest son of Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit, was sentenced to four years in prison on Monday after being convicted of rape. The verdict was delivered by an Oslo court, which found him guilty on two of the four rape charges he faced. He was acquitted on the other two charges.
Details of the Charges
Hoiby had been accused of sexually assaulting four women between 2018 and 2024, with the assaults occurring while the victims were asleep or otherwise unable to resist. In addition to the rape charges, he faced several other counts, including assault, drug-related offenses, and violations of a restraining order.
Hoiby's Response
Throughout the trial, Hoiby denied all allegations of rape but admitted to some of the lesser charges. His legal team argued that the encounters were consensual, but the court ruled otherwise based on the evidence presented.
The case has drawn significant media attention due to Hoiby's royal connections. He is the stepson of Crown Prince Haakon and has occasionally been in the public eye. The sentencing marks a rare instance of a senior royal family member facing a lengthy prison term in Norway.
The court emphasized the severity of the crimes, stating that the victims had suffered greatly. Hoiby will serve his sentence in a Norwegian prison and may be eligible for parole after serving two-thirds of the term.
