Marius Borg Høiby
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox criminal Marius Borg Høiby (born 13 January 1997) is the son of Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway and the stepson of Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway. Høiby was born before his mother married Prince Haakon and became crown princess of Norway; he is not part of the Norwegian royal family and does not serve in a public role.
Høiby was charged in August 2025 with 32 criminal counts, including rape and domestic violence. His trial is scheduled to take place from February 3 to March 13, 2026. The Høiby case has contributed to a decline in the Norwegian royal family's reputation.
Early life
Høiby was born on 13 January 1997<ref>Template:Citation</ref> at Aker University Hospital in Oslo<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> to Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, then a waitress, and Morten Borg, a convicted felon.<ref name="scmp">Template:Cite news</ref> At the time of Høiby's birth, Borg was in prison for drug-related violent crimes.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> From 1997 to 1998, Høiby lived with his mother and her then-partner, a disc jockey.<ref name=MelnæsBiography/> From 1998 to 1999, he lived in Kristiansand with his mother and another disc jockey with whom she was in a relationship.<ref name=MelnæsBiography>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":0" />
When Mette-Marit entered the public spotlight as the girlfriend of Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway, Høiby was nicknamed "Little Marius" by the media. 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..."<ref name=":0"/> The nickname is derived from a character in the 1883 novel Poison, who – like Høiby – is illegitimate and is a perceived outsider.<ref name=washingtonpost>Template:Cite news</ref>
Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby and Prince Haakon announced their engagement in December 2000.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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."<ref name=":0" /> The couple married on 25 August 2001. Høiby was four years of age.<ref name=bbc1>Template:Cite news</ref>
Høiby is not part of the Norwegian royal family and does not serve in a public role.<ref name="dagbladet24">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="kong">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He is constitutionally barred from becoming king of Norway.<ref name=bbc1 /> 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'".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref name=":0" />
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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Education and career
Høiby graduated from high school in 2016. The following year, he began to study business in the United States,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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.<ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He then worked as a style editor for the UK-based fashion magazine Tempus until its closure in December 2018.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref name=tv2pri>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Personal life
Høiby has had a series of high-profile relationships. He has dated heiress Linn Helena Nilsen,<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> model and actress Juliane Snekkestad,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and influencer Nora Haukland.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="auto">Template:Cite news</ref>
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.<ref>Multiple sources:
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According to sociologist Trond Blindheim, Høiby "has traveled around as a kind of playboy".<ref name=Blindh>Template:Cite news</ref>
As of December 2024, Høiby had started a program of drug rehabilitation.<ref name=RehabStart>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Legal issues
Drug possession
Høiby was convicted of drug possession in 2017 at the Palmesus festival at Bystranda in Kristiansand. He was fined 4000 Norwegian kroner for this incident.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Alleged domestic violence and sex offenses
Høiby was arrested in August 2024.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
On 13 September 2024, police arrested Høiby. He was released the next day.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Results of a blood test were consistent with recent use of "cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis".<ref name=NotifyingCrown>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The following day, the media released recordings in which Høiby can be heard making multiple references to having slapped a girlfriend.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On 23 August, he was charged with having threatened the woman.<ref name="threats">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=EarlierThreat>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
On 18 November 2024, Høiby was arrested on suspicion of rape.<ref name="rapecharge">Template:Cite news</ref> He was remanded to Hamar Prison,<ref name="prison1">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="prison2">Template:Cite news</ref> where he was held incommunicado.<ref name=AskdTwoGotOneWeek>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=heldandothecharges/> He was released on 27 November 2024.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
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.<ref name="heldandothecharges">Template:Cite news</ref>
On 18 August 2025, state attorney Sturla Henriksbø presented the indictment against Høiby.<ref name="sturla">Template:Cite news</ref> Høiby was charged with 32 criminal counts, including rape and domestic violence.<ref name="aftenposten-tiltalt">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref name="sturla" />
The media claims (as of November 2024) that Høiby and his family have received preferential treatment from police.<ref name=NotifyingCrown/> Mette-Marit has been accused of warning her son about his impending arrest and of evidence tampering and witness tampering.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Høiby's trial is scheduled to take place from 3 February to 13 March 2026.<ref>https://www.vg.no/rampelys/i/al6aJ4/hoeiby-saken-datoen-for-rettsaken-er-klar. VG.no. Retrieved 2025-08-28</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The Høiby case has been described in Norwegian media as one of the most extensive rape investigations in recent years.<ref>Multiple sources:
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</ref> 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.<ref>Multiple sources:
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