Son of Norway’s crown princess to be released from custody over rape allegations

BERLIN — The eldest son of Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit will be released following his arrest last week over rape allegations, Norwegian broadcaster NRK reported Wednesday.

But at the same time, Oslo police launched an investigation into a new alleged sexual crime for which he was not charged, NRK reported. Details about the new allegations were not immediately available.

Marius Borg Høiby is the stepson of Crown Prince Haakon, heir to the Norwegian throne, and Mette-Marit’s son from a previous relationship. He holds no royal title or official duties.

Borg Høiby was arrested in Oslo last week on charges of “having sexual intercourse with a person who is unconscious or unable to resist the act for other reasons.” Preliminary charging comes before formal charges and allows authorities to detain suspects during the investigation.

Police at the time did not say when the alleged rape took place, saying only that “the victim must have been unable to resist the act.” Norwegian media reported that Borg Høiby denied the accusation.

According to Norwegian news agency NTB, Prosecutor Andreas Kruszewski said in a press release on Wednesday that during the week that Borg Høiby was in custody, police examined evidence seized in connection with his arrest and also interviewed a significant number of witnesses.

The agency also said police found videos on Borg Høiby’s mobile phone that allegedly showed the attacks. He denies the accusations.

NTB said the royal palace had no comment on the latest allegations.

On Wednesday, police said they would not seek further detention of Borg Høiby as there was no indication that important evidence would be destroyed, NRK reported.

“This was not surprising. “He should never have been imprisoned,” Høiby’s defense lawyer Øyvind Bratlien told NRK. Borg said Høiby would likely be released late Wednesday.

on August 4 police officers responded to a disturbance in Oslo city center and briefly detained Borg Høiby. He faced preliminary charges of bodily harm and criminal damage and was released. Details were unclear, but police said there was “a relationship between the suspect and the victim.”

More preliminary charges have since been laid against Borg Høiby, including violating various restraining orders and driving without a valid driver’s licence. All cases involve four women and one man.

This incident became the most talked about news in Norway, where the royal family is popular.

Borg Høiby, 27, lives with the royal couple and their two children, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus.

The future queen of Norway made headlines when she married Haakon in 2001 because she was a single mother living a free life with a friend convicted on drug charges.