Marius Borg Hoiby, the eldest son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, vehemently denied allegations of rape during a tense courtroom testimony. The 29-year-old is facing a barrage of 38 charges, including accusations of sexual assault against four women, a case that has gripped the nation.
The current trial centers around an alleged incident that took place in October 2023, following an after-party in Norway’s picturesque Lofoten Islands. Hoiby and his stepfather, Crown Prince Haakon, were on a surfing trip at the time, adding another layer of scrutiny to the proceedings.
A woman, who met Hoiby through a dating app, testified that their initial encounter involved consensual intimacy. However, her account took a harrowing turn as she described waking up during what she alleges was a non-consensual act. She recounted a chilling sense of helplessness, stating it was her “worst nightmare.”
The alleged victim bravely shared her experience, explaining she consciously kept her eyes closed, desperately trying to disconnect from the assault. She recalled a feeling of dissociation, as if her body wasn’t her own, and described the experience as physically painful.
Prosecutors presented compelling evidence, including a five-second video taken from Hoiby’s phone, appearing to show the woman asleep during the alleged assault. Data from the woman’s fitness tracker further supported her claim, indicating she was in a sleep state at the critical moment.
Hoiby directly refuted the allegations, asserting that the woman was awake during their sexual encounter, then correcting himself to say “when we had sex together.” He questioned the logic of assaulting someone after multiple prior consensual encounters, asking, “Why the hell would I have had sex with her without waking her the last time?”
The trial has already heard testimony from another alleged victim, who testified last week that she believed she was drugged at a party held at the crown prince’s residence in 2018. This claim adds to the pattern the prosecution is attempting to establish.
Prosecutors argue that the alleged rapes all followed consensual sex, often occurring after nights of heavy drinking when the women were allegedly vulnerable and unable to fully consent. The defense maintains that Hoiby believed all encounters were mutually agreed upon, perceiving them as “perfectly normal and consensual sexual relations.”
Hoiby faces a potential prison sentence of up to 16 years if convicted, a stark reminder of the gravity of the charges and the profound impact this case has on all involved. The courtroom remains a scene of intense emotion as the trial continues to unfold.
