His blonde face appears on the front pages of Norwegian newspapers this week. Marius Borg Hoiby, son of Princess Mette-Marit, 27, was arrested on Monday, November 18. He is suspected of two rapes.
Although Marius is not the son of Prince Haakon and has no princely title, the matter shakes the Norwegian royal family. Especially since it is not the first time that the jet-setting young man has made headlines in Norway.
Last August, the princess’s son had already been arrested for violence against an ex-partner under the influence of alcohol and cocaine and, again, in September for violating a restraining order. He is now suspected of two rapes.
Mental disorders and substance abuse.
In September, Marius Borg Hoiby alleged “mental disorders” and his “drug dependence”, stating that he was willing to seek treatment.
“I suffer from several mental health conditions, which means that throughout my education and adult life I have had, and still have, difficulties. I have long struggled with substance abuse, for which I have received treatment in the past. Now I will return to this treatment and take it very seriously.
But seriousness is not the main quality of this young man who grew up in the luxury of the royal family, but without having any official position or obligations. For years, Marius’s escapades have made headlines in the Norwegian tabloid press.
The blonde boy, who appears in all photographs of the royal family, has long been nicknamed by Norwegians as “little Marius.” An especially cruel nickname, when we know that it refers to a character from 19th century Norwegian literature, a child born out of wedlock, small and unintelligent, who is allowed to go to school, despite a lower status than of his companions of good society…
Because although he was raised in the royal palace and participated in many official events, Marius was not a prince.
Youthful mistakes
Born on January 13, 1997 in Oslo, Marius was the fruit of Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby’s brief affair with a certain Morten Borg, a man convicted of drug-related crimes. The young woman also had to publicly apologize for her tumultuous past and condemn drug use before she could marry the prince.
If the entry into the royal family of a commoner with an apolitically correct past, who was already the mother of a child, caused a scandal at the time, the Norwegians learned to appreciate the princess, who fulfilled her role seriously. Especially since Mette-Marit is destined to become Queen of Norway, alongside her husband Haakon, the day she succeeds her father, King Harald V.
Marius Borg Høiby was 4 years old when his mother married the prince. She appears on the balcony, in the arms of Prince Haakon, on their wedding day. The couple gave birth three years later to Princess Ingrid Alexandra, now 20, and then to Prince Sverre Magnus, 18. The three children were raised together.
Since the early 2000s, the Norwegian tabloid press was passionate about the blonde boy and followed his every move. Every misstep makes headlines. When he posted family photos on Instagram in 2012, when he was 15, the press accused him of endangering the safety of the royal family.
“A difficult role”
“Marius has always had a role that is difficult to define in the public sphere,” Mette Marit wrote in an open letter on the occasion of her eldest son’s 20th birthday, lamenting in particular that the young man was “subject to pressure from the side of the Norwegian press”.
“Marius has become the symbol of the atypical choice we made when we got married, at the same time that he will not assume public functions like his brothers and sisters.”
It was around this time that the young man went to study business in Santa Monica, California. Studies interrupted before obtaining a diploma.
The young man then carries out several very diverse activities. For a time he was an intern for German stylist Philip Plein, then editor-in-chief of a fashion magazine, and a motorcycle mechanic. He also appears in the Norwegian series SKAM.
“Marius does not want to live in the public eye,” Mette-Marit wrote in her open letter to the press.
Drugs, parties and diplomatic passports
However, the media continues to harass him and criticize his jet-setting lifestyle. The tabloid Dagbladet covers his parties and getaways, surrounded by his friends, reality TV stars and influencers.
In recent years there has been no shortage of opportunities to appear on the cover of tabloids. He was accused, in particular, of having used a diplomatic passport on several occasions, in particular to escape from the police abroad, while under the influence of drugs. In 2017, he was convicted of drug possession at a music festival.
The Norwegian royal family always remains stoic and avoids making comments. But this time the accusations against Marius Borg Høiby are even more serious and push Prince Haakon to come out of his reserve:
“Marius faces serious charges,” the prince told broadcaster NRK earlier this week. “It is up to the police and the courts to deal with it. I am convinced that they will do it correctly and fairly.”
Source: BFM TV
