Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit has offered a new apology for her past connections to Jeffrey Epstein, saying Friday that some messages between her and Epstein do not represent the person she wants to be. The statement followed a new release of Epstein-related files that Norwegian media said contained several hundred mentions of her, coming less than a week after she expressed regret over the ties. She apologized “especially [to] the King and Queen” for the situation she said she had put the royal family in.
The new apology closed out a difficult week for the family. Her 29-year-old son, Marius Borg Høiby, went on trial this week facing charges that included rape and other accusations, as he denied the most serious charges. The trial was expected to last about seven weeks, according to a statement issued last week that said the crown prince and princess would not be present in court and would not comment on the case during proceedings.
In her earlier statement after the first wave of Epstein-file reporting, Mette-Marit said she took responsibility for “not having investigated Epstein’s background more thoroughly.” She also expressed “deep sympathy and solidarity” with the victims of abuse committed by Epstein. Friday’s statement returned to the messages’ content, saying that some of the material between Epstein and her did not match who she said she wants to be.
The Epstein files that Norwegian media reported on included an email exchange in October 2012. In it, Epstein wrote that he was in Paris “on my wife hunt,” adding “i prefer Scandinavians.” Mette-Marit replied that Paris was “good for adultery” but that “Scandis” were “better wife material,” according to the account described in the Associated Press report.
As Høiby’s trial unfolded, the royal family also faced scrutiny over the legal case at the center of the week. Høiby is on trial on charges including rape, abuse in a close relationship, acts of violence and making death threats, the report said. The crown prince said last week that Høiby was not a member of the Royal House but called him “an important member of our family.”
The Associated Press report also described Mette-Marit’s recent health issues, which the royal court said had affected her. She was diagnosed in 2018 with pulmonary fibrosis, and last month the royal court said medical tests showed a “clear worsening” of her condition and doctors began looking into the possibility of lung-transplant surgery for her.
The broader fallout has played out against a backdrop of changing public attitudes about the monarchy. The report said the royal family has traditionally enjoyed wide public support but that its popularity has declined since Oslo police in August 2024 said Høiby was facing suspicion for causing bodily harm and criminal damage. It cited a Norstat agency poll for Dagbladet and public broadcaster NRK that found two-thirds of respondents supported the constitutional monarchy, down from nearly three-fourths in August. A separate poll for VG also indicated declining support.
Continued monitoring
As the trial and the Epstein-file disclosures continue to draw attention to the Norwegian royal family, the developments in Norway follow a broader pattern of European scrutiny tied to the Epstein files reported earlier across the continent, including other public figures and lawmakers referenced in the documents.