Crown Princess Mette-Marit's son cries in court, mentions 'a lot of sex' and alcohol

The son of Norway's crown princess denied that videos on his phone showed acts of rape as he broke down during his first day of testimony in his trial for rape and domestic violence, in a case that has shaken the already embattled royal family.

According to Reuters, Marius Borg Hoiby, 29, son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit and stepson to Crown Prince Haakon, could face years in prison if found guilty of the most serious of the 38 charges against him.

On Tuesday, the first day of his trial, he pleaded not guilty to the most serious charges of rape and domestic violence but admitted some lesser charges, including driving too fast.

He also said he was partially guilty - a plea allowed under Norwegian law - of aggravated assault and reckless behaviour.

On Wednesday, on his first day on the witness stand, Hoiby said it was very difficult for him to give testimony, in front of so many journalists.

"It is very difficult for me to speak in front of so many people. I have been surrounded by the press since I was three. I have been harassed ever since," he said, breaking down in tears.

After a moment, he said he had received "heavy medication" and said he would try to do as much as he could.

"I am known as the son of Mummy," he said, referring to Mette-Marit. "Which means I have an extreme need for affirmation," he said. "A lot of sex, a lot of alcohol."

"Few can relate to the life I have led. A lot of parties, alcohol, some drugs," he said.

Wearing jeans and a dark blue jumper over a beige shirt, Hoiby, who spoke with his arms crossed over his chest, sometimes consulted his handwritten notes in the notebook in front of him.

Among the charges against Hoiby are one count of rape with sexual intercourse and three counts of rape without intercourse, some of which he filmed on his telephone, the prosecution has said.

He denied the videos on his phone show acts of rape.

"If I had thought I had material that showed an assault, I would never have kept that material," he said, noting he had never shared them with anyone.

The trial comes at a time of multiple challenges for the royal family, in addition to the ongoing scrutiny of Mette-Marit over her ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The royal palace told Reuters on Wednesday Mette-Marit had postponed until further notice a planned private trip abroad, without providing further details.

That news was first reported by daily Aftenposten.

An opinion poll conducted on Monday for daily newspaper Verdens Gang showed a fall in the number of Norwegians in favour of keeping the monarchy - to 61% from 72% last year - and a 10-percentage-point rise to 27% in those who want a republic.

King Harald, 88, Europe's oldest living monarch, cut back activity in 2024 after being hospitalised to treat an infection and later receiving a pacemaker.

Mette-Marit herself is in need of a lung transplant after being diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018, a chronic disease that causes scarring in the lungs and leads to a reduced oxygen uptake.

Meanwhile, King Harald's daughter, Martha Louise, stepped down from official royal duties in 2022 to allow her to more freely pursue her own business ventures, and said both she and her husband, an American self-styled shaman, would refrain from using her title as princess in a commercial setting.

They both received criticism last year for starring in a Netflix documentary chronicling their daily lives, including their wedding, and for being critical of the king and queen.