Marius Borg Høiby

Marius Borg Høiby
Born (1997-01-13) 13 January 1997
Oslo, Norway
MotherMette-Marit Tjessem Høiby
Relatives
Criminal charge
Imprisoned atOslo Prison
(remand prisoner since 2026)[1]

Marius Borg Høiby (born 13 January 1997) is a relative of the Norwegian royal family. He is the stepson of Crown Prince Haakon. When Høiby was a child, his mother married the crown prince. She is titled Crown Princess Mette-Marit, and Marius is her oldest son.[2][3]

Marius Borg Høiby is is not royal and holds no official position.

His father is Morten Borg.[2]

Høiby is being tried on 38 criminal counts, including rape and domestic violence;[4] in addition, 6 counts were added in mid-February 2026: one count of drugs [possession], three counts of speeding on motorcycle, and two counts of violating restraining order.[5] The trial began on 3 February 2026 and is expected to last to 13 March 2026.[6][7] He is being held at Oslo Prison (as of February 2026).[1]

Early life

Høiby was born on 13 January 1997 at Aker University Hospital in Oslo[8] to Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, then a waitress, and Morten Borg.[9] His parents were not in a committed relationship 'but after a short affair, [Mette-Marit] became pregnant'.[10][11][2][12][13][14][2][11][10] In the summer of 1997, a few months after Marius was born, Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby entered into a relationship with a disc jockey and self-described "life artist" from Oslo who was ten years her senior.[12] He became Marius' first stepfather and lived with them for the next year.[12] In the summer of 1998, Mette-Marit ended the relationship and returned to her childhood home in Kristiansand.[12] There, she raised Marius with her new partner, also a local disc jockey, until the couple separated a little under a year later in early 1999.[12][10]

When Mette-Marit entered the public spotlight as the girlfriend of Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway, Høiby was nicknamed "Little Marius" by the media.[2] The nickname stuck; it was also used by Queen Sonja, who described "Little Marius" as "the world's cutest little bright guy, who is so charming and wonderful..."[10] The nickname is derived from a character in the 1883 novel Poison, who – like Høiby – is illegitimate and is a perceived outsider.[15] Høiby has been known to the public since December 2000, because he was a participant when official Christmas photographs of the royal family, were taken at the The Royal Lodge, Holmenkollen.[16][17]

Høiby in 2005

Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby and Prince Haakon announced their engagement in December 2000.[18] The fact that Mette-Marit was a single mother and the fact that Høiby's father was a convicted felon created controversy. TV 2 later wrote that "merely by existing, Marius Borg Høiby was seen by many as a scandal for the royal family."[10] The couple married on 25 August 2001. Høiby was four years of age.[19]

Høiby is not part of the Norwegian royal family and does not serve in a public role.[20][21] He is constitutionally barred from becoming king of Norway.[19] In a documentary filmed when Mette-Marit was pregnant with Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway, Princess Ragnhild, Mrs. Lorentzen, the sister of King Harald V, expressed concern about how things would turn out for Høiby, saying: 'I feel terribly sorry for her son. When they have a child, poor Marius will be nothing. He is six years old, but he will understand that there is a difference. That will cause problems for them. I hope they have thought it through'".[22] Høiby's maternal grandfather, Sven O. Høiby, spoke publicly about Høiby during his childhood, stating that his grandson should be given the title of prince to avoid feeling second-class and becoming a target of bullying.[10]

Høiby has multiple half- or step-siblings through each of his parents, including Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus on his mother's side.[23][24]

Høiby is referenced several times in the Epstein files in conversations between his mother and Jeffrey Epstein. When he was 15, his mother and Epstein discussed pictures of naked women she wanted to give him.[25][26]

Education and career

Høiby attended Wang high school, but dropped out without graduating.[27] In 2017, he briefly enrolled at a course in "business" at Santa Monica College, a community college for non-traditional students in the US,[28] but dropped out after a few months without completing a degree. In late 2017, Høiby moved back to Norway briefly before working as an intern for designer Philipp Plein.[29] He then worked as a style editor for the UK-based fashion magazine Tempus until its closure in December 2018.[30] In 2018, Høiby was referred to as a prince of Norway in Tempus. This event led to criticism from several Norwegian media outlets until the references were removed from print and from the magazine's website.[31]

Personal life

Høiby has had a series of high-profile relationships. He has dated heiress Linn Helena Nilsen,[29][32] model and actress Juliane Snekkestad,[33][34] and influencer Nora Haukland.[35] In 2024, a police interrogation of Høiby revealed that Prince Haakon "together with the crown princess" paid his bills. Høiby received 20,000 kroner each month.[36][37]

Høiby has invited members of the Hells Angels criminal gang to events at his home that he called "Skaugum festivals" at which Mette-Marit personally received his guests. Drugs were consumed at these events.[38][39] As of December 2024, Høiby had started a program of drug rehabilitation.[40] As of 2025, Høiby does not have a diplomatic passport. In 2024, media stated that he had abused the privilege of holding a diplomatic passport.[41]

Drug possession

Høiby was convicted of drug possession in 2017 at the Palmesus festival at Bystranda in Kristiansand. He was fined 4,000 Norwegian kroner for this incident.[42]

Alleged domestic violence and sex offenses

Høiby is held at Oslo Prison during his trial

Høiby was arrested in August 2024.[43] On 13 September 2024, police arrested Høiby. He was released the next day.[44] Results of a blood test were consistent with recent use of "cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis".[45] The following day, the media released recordings in which Høiby can be heard making multiple references to having slapped a girlfriend.[46] On 23 August, he was charged with having threatened the woman.[47][48] On 18 November 2024, Høiby was arrested on suspicion of rape.[49] He was remanded to Hamar Prison,[50][51] where he was held incommunicado.[52][53] He was released on 27 November 2024.[54] On 19 November, it was announced that Høiby was also charged with "abuse in close relationships", violating a restraining order, and driving without a valid driver's license.[53]

On 18 August 2025, state attorney Sturla Henriksbø presented the indictment against Høiby.[55] Høiby was charged with 32 criminal counts, including rape and domestic violence.[56][57] He was also charged with abuse in intimate relationships against his former partner Nora Haukland and with several acts of violence against another former partner.[55] The media claims (as of November 2024) that Høiby and his family have received preferential treatment from police.[45] Mette-Marit has been accused of warning her son about his impending arrest and witness tampering.[58][59] Høiby's trial is scheduled to take place from 3 February to 13 March 2026.[60][61]

The Høiby case has been described in Norwegian media as one of the most extensive rape investigations in recent years.[62] The case, together with controversies surrounding the King's son-in-law Durek Verrett, has been cited as contributing to a decline in the Norwegian royal family's reputation and increased debate about the future of the monarchy in Norway.[63][37] On 1 February 2026, Høiby was arrested on both new and separate criminal allegations of assault, threats with a knife and violation of a restraining order.[64] On 2 February 2026, the Oslo District Court granted a police request to keep Høiby in detention for four weeks.[64][65] On 3 February 2026, the trial against Høiby began at Oslo District Court. He pleaded not guilty to four charges of rape as the public prosecutor read out a total of 38 charges against him, including sexual assault, bodily harm, abuse of a partner, violating a restraining order, and drug transportation.[66][6][67] He also pleaded partially guilty of aggravated assault and reckless behaviour.[68]

As of February 2026, Høiby is held at Oslo Prison, where he was visited by his mother and the Crown Prince.[1]

Reactions to the governments case against Høiby

There have been reactions to the ongoing trial. On 13 February 2026, Arild Rønsen wrote in his column in Klassekampen, about the rape cases: "The alleged victims, women, were allegedly sleeping when the abuse (overgrep) happened, but none of them have pressed charges. As a result, they have not wanted a courtcase. The backdrop of the police's pushing the case, are the video clips [taken by Høiby]. ... One of the alleged victims said [in court, two days ago,] that she voluntarily had [... several rounds of] sexual intercourse with Høiby on the night of the alleged rape, and she absolutely has no recollection of being raped [and noticing such, or] without having discovered such. Furthermore, any violence - in terms of physical coercion, has been proven to not having been exercised. [...] Illegal filming, however, is something quite different than rape. Has the trial been blown out of proportion?"[69]

Other information

His father Morten Borg, was convicted (year 2000), of possession (oppbevaring) of 50g cocaine.[70].[2][71]

In 2024, Mette-Marit had been accused by media, of evidence tampering in the government's case against Marius.[72][73] Høiby has later clarified that his mother came to the small house where he resided, and she "like did [or washed] the dishes", while he was in the shower, before going off the royal property, for him to meet the arresting officers.[74]

References

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