Royal Son ARRESTED Hours Before Trial

Norway’s royal family is facing a blunt reminder that status can’t shield anyone when police say a future queen’s son broke a restraining order and threatened someone with a knife—hours before a major rape trial.

Story Snapshot

Oslo police arrested Marius Borg Høiby on Feb. 1, 2026, alleging assault, knife threats, and a restraining-order violation just ahead of his scheduled rape trial.
Høiby is set to face trial starting Feb. 3 on an indictment totaling 38 counts, including four alleged rapes spanning 2018–2024.
Police asked for four weeks of detention, citing a risk of reoffending while he was already free pending trial.
Crown Prince Haakon publicly emphasized Høiby is not a member of the Royal House and said the family will not attend or comment on the proceedings.

Arrest Lands on the Eve of a High-Stakes Trial

Oslo police confirmed that Marius Borg Høiby, 29, was arrested Sunday evening, Feb. 1, on new allegations of assault, threats involving a knife, and violating a restraining order. The timing is central: his trial was scheduled to begin Tuesday, Feb. 3, at Oslo District Court on a separate indictment involving 38 counts. Police also sought four weeks’ detention, arguing the risk of repeat offending while the case is pending.

The court schedule itself underscores the seriousness of the underlying case. Reporting indicates the trial is slated to run into mid-March, reflecting the breadth of allegations and expected evidence. Høiby has denied sexual abuse allegations and disputed most violence-related claims, according to coverage, while acknowledging only limited wrongdoing on lesser matters. As of the reporting window, his attorneys were not immediately available for public comment following the new arrest.

What the 38-Count Indictment Includes

The core case centers on accusations that span multiple years and multiple alleged victims, including former partners. The indictment referenced in reporting includes four alleged rapes dated between 2018 and November 2024, along with allegations of violence, threats, and repeated breaches of no-contact orders. Authorities also allege marijuana transportation and additional offenses such as death threats and traffic violations, adding to the overall complexity of the prosecution’s theory.

Because the case involves restraining orders and alleged threats, police concerns about reoffending carry extra legal weight: those orders exist to create clear lines that protect potential victims and preserve public safety. The new arrest over an alleged restraining-order violation is therefore not a side issue—it is a direct test of whether court-imposed boundaries were being respected while he remained free pending a major trial.

Royal Connection—and the Push for Equal Treatment

Høiby’s family ties are unavoidable in public coverage: he is the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit from a relationship before she married Crown Prince Haakon. But multiple reports stress he holds no royal title and has no official duties. Haakon addressed the situation publicly, saying the family would not attend court proceedings and would not comment, while also expressing confidence that the legal process will be fair and emphasizing Høiby’s non-member status in the Royal House.

That distinction matters in a constitutional sense, even outside the United States. When a justice system treats a high-profile defendant as a regular civilian, it signals that law enforcement and courts are expected to operate without political favoritism. For Americans weary of “rules for thee but not for me,” the Norwegian approach being described—police arrest, detention request, and public insistence on equal treatment—shows what accountability is supposed to look like when allegations are severe and ongoing.

Why the Detention Request—and What’s Still Unknown

Police asked the court to hold Høiby for four weeks, citing risk of reoffending. That request is a practical measure in systems that balance the presumption of innocence with public safety, especially when allegations include threats and alleged order violations. Reporting also notes the potential sentencing exposure: one account cites that he could face up to 16 years in prison if convicted, a reminder that the case is not minor scandal but a major felony-level proceeding.

Several outcomes remain unresolved at the time of the reports: whether the court will grant the full detention request, how the new allegations may be joined to or handled alongside the existing indictment, and what evidence will be presented at trial. Separately, coverage notes renewed scrutiny of Mette-Marit related to Jeffrey Epstein disclosures, but those references do not change the legal core here: Høiby is the defendant, and the case will turn on evidence and courtroom procedure.