Princess’s son to be ‘abandoned’ as royals refuse to attend rape case | Royal | News
On February 3, Høiby will appear in the Oslo District Court where he faces 38 charges; however, his mother and stepfather, Crown Prince Haakon, confirmed that they would not be there. The charges he is accused of include alleged rape, intimate abuse against one former partner, acts of violence against the other, death threats and traffic violations.
The update comes a day after Marius was handed a further six charges, including those for allegedly possessing 3.5 kilograms of cannabis and two charges under the Traffic Act. In a new statement confirming they will not appear in court, the Crown Prince also said that the Royal Family did not wish to comment on the case and that official duties would continue. He added that the Crown Princess will spend several weeks in a private residence.
In the update published on the Norwegian Royal Family website, the following statements were made: “We are thinking very hard about all parties involved. This is something that affects them, their families, those who love them. We care about them. We know that many of you are going through a difficult time right now.”
“At the same time, it is good to know that we live in a state governed by the rule of law. I am sure and trust that those responsible for the trial will work to ensure that the trial is conducted as orderly, smooth and fair as possible.
“Marius Borg Høiby is not part of the Royal Family, so he is free in that sense. But of course we love him and he is an important part of our family. And he is a Norwegian citizen. So he has the same responsibilities and also the same rights as everyone else.”
Until the end of last year, the Royal Family had remained largely silent on Marius’ case. But in an interview with the Times in December, the Crown Princess spoke about the limitations she had due to her lung fibrosis diagnosis, before denying claims that she had informed her son of his impending arrest in a phone call.
“I think it’s quite challenging to be accused of such serious things, which of course I didn’t do,” Mette-Marit said. “Perhaps what upsets me most is that as parents we are criticized for how we handled this situation and did not take it seriously. I find it difficult.”
Mette-Marit said the family was seeking “professional help” for her son. “So it seems a little unfair [to claim] “We didn’t take it seriously because I think we did,” she said. “Being a parent is the most vulnerable thing you can do. And I think all parents will understand that there is an incredible amount of self-blame involved.”
