Marius Borg Hoiby, the eldest son of Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit, was sentenced to four years in prison Monday after an Oslo court found him guilty of two counts of rape and 32 additional offenses, according to a report by CBS News.
Hoiby, 29, had faced 40 criminal charges in total, including four rape counts. He was acquitted of the other two rape charges. The court also convicted him of assault and abuse in close relationships. In addition to the prison sentence, Hoiby was ordered to pay compensation to the victims.
Prosecutors had asked the court to sentence him to seven years and seven months. Defense lawyers argued he should be acquitted of the rape charges and receive no more than 18 months for the lesser offenses he had admitted to committing. Hoiby had denied the rape allegations.
The charges stemmed from alleged sexual assaults against four women who were asleep or otherwise unable to resist between 2018 and 2024. The six-week trial concluded in March after testimony from multiple accusers and the presentation of evidence, including messages, images and videos recovered from Hoiby's cellphone.
Hoiby was not present in court Monday because of health reasons. He watched the reading of the verdict via video link from prison.
His defense lawyer, Ellen Holager Andenaes, told AFP that "it is only natural to consider appealing the serious charges for which he was convicted and which he did not admit."
Prosecutor Sturla Henriksbo called the verdict "a victory for our justice system" and told AFP that it "shows that no one is beyond the law, despite who you are and who you are related to."
Hoiby is Mette-Marit's son from a relationship before her marriage to Crown Prince Haakon, the heir to the Norwegian throne. Although he grew up in the royal household, Hoiby does not hold an official public role or royal title. The case drew intense international attention because of that connection.
The trial unfolded while the royal family also faced scrutiny over disclosures about Mette-Marit's past contacts with Jeffrey Epstein, the deceased sex offender. She has publicly apologized and said she exercised poor judgment in maintaining contact with him. She has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
Mette-Marit has pulmonary fibrosis and is awaiting a lung transplant. Her health deteriorated as the case proceeded, and appeals courts ruled that Hoiby should remain detained while awaiting the verdict. The sentence is not final, and Hoiby retains the right to appeal.
