Eldest Son of Norway’s Crown Princess Found Guilty of Rape

The 29-year-old Høiby was also found guilty on other charges, including filming people without their consent and threats of violence. The court sentenced him to four years in prison.

Høiby, who is not a member of Norway’s royal house, denied some of the charges but pleaded guilty to other counts, including assault, harassment and intentional damage to property. He also admitted to transporting more than seven pounds of cannabis and violating a restraining order.

The seven-week trial was widely covered in Norway and drew rare international attention to the country’s justice system. Prosecutors sought to show that Høiby, the stepson of the future king, Crown Prince Haakon, would be tried as an ordinary citizen. The royal family did not take part in the proceedings, demonstrating noninterference, and publicly expressed sympathy for the victims.

Although Høiby is not part of the royal house, his connection to the family made him a public figure in Norway. He was four years old when his mother married the heir to the throne. Høiby has no title or official duties, but he was often photographed alongside members of the royal family at official events.

“Høiby was treated no better and no more harshly than anyone else in the justice system,” said Ole-Jørgen Schulsrud-Hansen, a historian of the Norwegian royal family. “It is in extreme cases that principles are tested. Now they have passed that test.”

The criminal trial, which began in February, followed years of accusations against Høiby, especially concerning his behavior toward women, as well as a series of tabloid scandals. It unfolded against the backdrop of a crisis in Norway’s royal family: his mother, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, came under pressure over past ties to the American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In 2018, the princess was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, and this month she was placed on a waiting list for a lung transplant.

Last week, an appeals court rejected Høiby’s request for release so he could be near his mother as her health deteriorated. Høiby has been in custody since his arrest in February, several days before the start of the trial, in connection with assault allegations in a separate case.

The current trial centered on allegations of rape between 2018 and 2024, violence and threats against a former partner in 2022–2023, and violence against a subsequent partner.

Part of the hearings was held behind closed doors. In the open portion of the trial, testimony concerned Høiby’s volatile relationships and allegations of his aggressive reactions.

The women who testified against him in court, including a former girlfriend, described repeated instances of physical and verbal abuse. According to Norway’s national broadcaster, the former girlfriend said some episodes took place at the royal residence, where Høiby lived with her. He told the court that he had struggled with anger since childhood and had sought help.

“Høiby is not receiving special treatment,” said Katrine Holter, an associate professor at the Norwegian Police University College. “But it can probably be said that he is being treated like other celebrities, in the sense that cases involving well-known people usually take longer in court than cases that do not attract media attention.”