The Norwegian Royal Court has become the most closely watched of the European monarchies. Much of that is due to the series of events that have shaken the foundations of the Crown involving Marius Borg, who over the last twenty-four months has gained a notoriety that culminated in a court case still underway. What at first seemed like a simple news story ultimately led to a four-year prison sentence that has now, on a preventive basis, confined him to Skaugum Estate.
© WireImagePrince Haakon says Norwegian Royal Family is ready for Marius Borg Høiby’s verdict on June 15
Even so, the death of Harald V has prompted his legal team to request a series of special permissions so that, as Queen Mette-Marit’s son, and the late king’s step-grandson, he can attend the final farewell. That possibility could put him in the same space as the most prominent members of royal families from around the world, who are currently gathered for a private banquet at the Royal Palace in Oslo.
Marius Borg’s special permission
The first of those special permissions came when King Harald V’s health suddenly deteriorated and his medical team raised the alarm: “He is in very serious condition,” they stressed in a powerful statement that was swiftly followed by the official communication from the monarch who led the Nordic country for the last thirty-five years. After that downturn, Marius wanted to be present to say a final goodbye to the man who had been his step-grandfather, because Marius has long been treated as another member of the royal family, despite having no title or bloodline.
© Julian ParkerKing Harald with Marius Borg, the son Mette-Marit of Norway had before her marriage to Prince Haakon, who for some sectors was an impediment to the heir marrying her.
Watch the Live Broadcast of King Harald V’s Funeral
In recent days, the queen’s son has come back into the spotlight, and now his image may reach even further than the House of Glücksburg, into the presence of some of the world’s most prominent royals. On September 9, every representative of the European monarchies is expected at Oslo Cathedral, the very place where, fittingly, the Norwegian queen’s son is also expected to appear.
© LISE ASERUDNorway’s Princess Ingrid Alexandra poses for a family photo with Norway’s King Harald V and Norway’s Queen Sonja and Marit Tjessem, Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon, Norway’s Prince Sverre Magnus and Marius Borg Hoiby on the occasion of a gala dinner for her 18th birthday in Oslo.
The court case that rocked the Norwegian Royal House concluded in June 2026, when the Oslo court sentenced Marius Borg to four years in prison after finding him guilty of a disturbing criminal record. Although nearly forty charges were initially brought against him, Queen Mette-Marit’s son was ultimately convicted of two counts of rape of individuals in a state of incapacity, abuse and domestic violence against one of his ex-girlfriends, degrading sexual conduct, as well as threats and violating restraining orders.
The ruling also included convictions for offenses and possession of illegal substances. All of that, however, was briefly set aside when Harald V’s body was moved from the Red Hall of the Royal Palace to the Chapel — a moment in which Marius joined the members of the Royal Family tasked with carrying the late monarch’s coffin.
© UK Press via Getty ImagesCrown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway and her son, Marius Borg Hoiby, on a visit to Trondheim during the King and Queen of Norway’s Silver Jubilee Tour, on June 23, 2016, in Trondheim, Norway.
That move, surprising as it was, revealed just how close Marius Borg remains to the Norwegian royals. Even though he is not King Haakon VIII’s son, he became a resident of the Royal Palace in Oslo when he was still a small child. His presence at the funeral has not been officially confirmed, but NRK, Norway’s public broadcaster, did confirm that Marius Borg has been granted special permission to attend the monarch’s funeral at Oslo Cathedral.
If he does go, it will mark the first time he has appeared alongside members of the Swedish Royal Family, who watched him grow up, since being found guilty, as well as with Denmark’s King Frederik and Queen Mary and even Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia. If this potential encounter does take place, it will be a true test for the strict protocol of the Norwegian Royal House.
© Rune HellestadCrown Princess Mette-Marit’s eldest child, Marius Borg Høiby, is reportedly not attending the wedding of his stepfather’s sister
For Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria or the kings of Denmark, the visual impact of coming face to face, in the middle of a state funeral, with the young man they saw grow up in the palace, and who is now serving a preventive sentence after appealing his devastating conviction, adds unprecedented tension to the occasion. Without a doubt, every gaze will be torn between the solemn tribute to the late king and the presence of Mette-Marit’s son at the most high-profile event of the year.