Norway’s royal family has suffered yet another blow in what is undoubtedly the monarchy’s most challenging period in decades.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who is married to Norway’s future king, should not be queen when the time comes, according to a new poll.
The question was asked two days after the 52-year-old admitted to showing “poor judgement” and expressed “regret having had any contact” with Jeffrey Epstein in newly-released files.
Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway visit Fredrikstad Library to mark its 100th anniversary on January 28, 2026 in Fredrikstad, Norway. (Photo by Rune Hellestad – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images) (Corbis via Getty Images)
Three million pages of documents have been released by US Congress as part of an investigation into Epstein and his associates.
They appear to suggest Mette-Marit had exchanged more than 100 cordial emails and texts with Epstein while fully aware he had been jailed for sex offences against an underage girl, revealing the Crown Princess had a closer relationship with the disgraced financier than she has previously let on.
The matter, Mette-Marit said in her weekend statement, was ”simply embarrassing”.
In a new poll conducted by Verian on behalf of Norwegian news outlet TV2, 47.6 per cent said they do not believe Crown Princess Mette-Marit should become Norway’s next queen.
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Norwegian newspapers on Monday reporting on the Crown Princess’ links with Jeffrey Epstein and the trial of her son, Marius Borg Høiby. (dpa/picture alliance via Getty I)
A further 28.9 per cent said she should while 23.5 per cent said they did not know.
Respondents were also asked whether they believed the monarchy had strengthened or weakened its position in recent years, or whether it had remained the same.
More than 70 per cent said the monarchy’s position has weakened.
The number wasn’t even that high last year when King Harald V’s daughter Princess Märtha Louise and her American shaman husband, Durek Verrett, caused controversy by appearing in a Netflix documentary. Their appearance in the film Rebel Royals sparked renewed calls for Märtha Louise to be stripped of her princess title.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit has also been dropped as patron of the organisation Sex og Samfund’s (Sex and Society) Skamløs Prize (Shameless Prize).
A new poll has revealed 47 per cent of Norwegians don’t want Crown Princess Mette-Marit to be queen. (AP)
In a statement the organisation said: “Sex and Society no longer wants HRH Crown Princess Mette-Marit as patron.
“The important thing for the foundation has been the consideration of our patients, of all victims of abuse and of all those who stand up to prevent sexual abuse.
“It is with their consideration that we now wish to end our collaboration with HRH Crown Princess Mette-Marit.
“Sex and Society is aware that we do not know everything in this matter, but at the same time we believe that what has already been made known is incompatible with what the Shameless Award stands for.”
A number of other organisations the Crown Princess is connected with are now in talks about how to move forward.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s links with Epstein were revealed at the weekend just days before her son, Marius Borg Høiby, goes on trial for rape and assault.
The Crown Princess, who is battling chronic lung disease and is likely to be put on the country’s transplant waiting list, has now retreated to a private residence away from Oslo while her son goes on trial in a case that is expected to bring unwarranted scrutiny on Norway’s already-fragile royal family.
The case, which begins in Oslo on Tuesday, is expected to last for up to eight weeks.
On Monday, on the eve of the trial, Høiby was arrested over new allegations.
The 29-year-old is accused of assault, threats with a knife and violation of a restraining order, police said.
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess, pictured here with their daughter Princess Ingrid Alexandra, will not attend court. (AP)
Norwegian media have police as saying the offences allegedly took place over the weekend.
On Monday, the Oslo district court granted their request to keep him in detention for up to four weeks on the grounds of a risk of reoffending.
Høiby was first arrested in August, 2024, and has been indicted on 38 counts.
The allegations include the rape of four women, physical and psychological abuse of two other women, a threat to kill a man, multiple traffic offences and transporting 3.5kg of marijuana. He has denied most of the charges.
If convicted, Høiby could be jailed for up to 10 years.
King Harald V, 88, and his wife Queen Sonja, also 88, and Crown Prince Haakon will continue with their official duties throughout the trial.
Marius Borg Høiby is Mette-Marit’s son from a previous relationship before she married the Crown Prince of Norway. (UK Press via Getty Images)
The Royal House has said it would not make any further comment about Høiby throughout the trial.
“This case is a heavy burden to the whole royal family,” royal correspondent at Norway’s national broadcaster NRK, Kristi Marie Skrede, told nine.com.au.
“The coming weeks will be hard on the royal family,” Skrede said.
Mid-last week, Crown Prince Haakon issued an extraordinary statement where he affirmed his support for “all the parties involved”.
Addressing the alleged victims directly, the Crown Prince said: “We know that many of you are going through a difficult time right now”.
Days later, his wife became embroiled in the Epstein scandal with the release of the documents.
In June, 2022, Høiby was among the guests to attend the official 18th birthday party of his sister Princess Ingrid Alexandra. (Getty)
Crown Princess Mette-Marit said in a statement: “Jeffrey Epstein is responsible for his own actions. But I must take responsibility for not having investigated Epstein’s background more thoroughly, and for not realising sooner what kind of person he was.
“I deeply regret this, and it is a responsibility I must bear. I showed poor judgement and regret having had any contact with Epstein at all. It is simply embarrassing.”
The Crown Princess met with Epstein in Oslo, New York, Florida and on a Caribbean island between 2011 and 2013.
In 2012, Mette-Marit told Epstein he was “very charming” and asked him “Is it inappropriate for a mother to suggest two naked women carrying a surfboard for my 15 yr old sons [sic] wallpaper?”
The son in question was likely Høiby, from a previous relationship before she married Norway’s heir, Crown Prince Haakon.
Norway’s Royal House. (Graphic: Polly Hanning)
In Norway, there has been speculation Mette-Marit might have met with Epstein during a family holiday on the Caribbean island of Saint Barthélemy in 2013 and taken her children including Høiby, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus, who were then aged 16, nine and seven.
Text messages appear to reveal a discussion about meeting at an “old church”. Mette-Marit added: “Im [sic] walking with the kids”.
The Royal House said neither the Crown Princess, nor her husband, could recall if the children had been present.
In 2019, after Epstein died, Crown Princess Mette-Marit apologised to Epstein’s victims, insisting that she “would never have had contact with Epstein if I had known about his criminal activities”.
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