Prince Haakon of Norway acknowledges challenges in his stepson relationship with Marius.
The Norwegian royal family is attempting to manage the fallout. An endless Sisyphean task, it seems. On August 4th, Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit, physically assaulted his girlfriend and left her apartment in ruins. In hindsight, this incident was just the beginning of a series of scandals surrounding Høiby. Following the event, under the influence of "alcohol and cocaine", Høiby, who is 27-years-old and the stepson of Crown Prince Haakon, admitted his actions and expressed regret.
However, close friends of Høiby claim that his remorse was fake and that he's back to his old ways, partying hard once again. A photograph obtained by "Bild" newspaper shows Høiby, in the autumn of 2023, shirtless and flaunting his large chest tattoo. He holds a pistol and a bottle of Dom Pérignon champagne in one hand, with wads of Norwegian currency stuffed into his waistband. A friend close to Høiby told "Bild" that he loves "partying, using cocaine and ecstasy, along with vodka, champagne, and beautiful women."
The Norwegian palace struggles to counter such damaging photos and statements from Høiby's friends. Crown Prince Haakon acknowledged the seriousness of the situation when asked about the controversy surrounding his stepson at an oil and energy fair's opening in Stavanger. He declined to comment directly on the ongoing situation, instead advising, "I kindly request that you address all inquiries related to this case to Høiby's lawyer." The investigation is now in the hands of authorities, with all parties involved being questioned by the police, Haakon states.
"We have a close relationship," he said. "We were aware of the information Marius shared with us and knew about some of his issues, but I prefer not to delve deeper."
When asked if they were aware of Høiby's mental health struggles, as he claimed afterwards, the Crown Prince responded, "We have a close relationship. We were aware of the information Marius shared with us and knew about some of his issues, but I prefer not to delve deeper."
The continued scandals surrounding Marius Borg Høiby, including his questionable behavior and associations, have only served to exacerbate the violence and chaos in his life. Despite the royal family's attempts to manage the situation, the damaging photos and statements from Høiby's friends have further fueled the narrative of violence and recklessness.
