Norway Rallies Behind Royals, Despite Dismay Over Epstein Links

A report from Nytimes says newly released files showed Crown Princess Mette-Marit had a closer relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein than she had previously acknowledged, and that her son was arrested for assault just before a separate rape trial began.

The revelations have disappointed many Norwegians, but polls, interviews and votes in Parliament indicate continued broad support for the monarchy. Mette-Marit’s son, Marius Borg Hoiby, faces 38 criminal charges, including four counts of rape and six of filming people without their consent; he pleaded not guilty to the rape charges and five of the filming counts and pleaded guilty to some assault accusations.

Journalists packed the courtroom when the trial began, but the royal family was absent and sent a message of support for his accusers. The crown princess issued a statement saying she regretted “having had any contact” with Epstein and that she should have looked more deeply into his record.

Norway