Where is Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit? We did not see her at the celebration of her father-in-law’s 89th birthday, King Harald. Nor at the reception for Olympic athletes in Oslo, nor in Milan supporting Norwegian athletes at the Winter Games. In fact, since January 28, when she visited the Fredrikstad Library with her husband, Prince Haakon, there has been no trace of her on the Crown’s official schedule.
Since their royal wedding in 2001, Crown Princess Mette-Marit has been one of the most beloved and high-profile figures in Norway. After a troubled past, she managed to win the favor of her compatriots as well as the press. But when on January 30 the news of her close ties to Jeffrey Epstein came to light, the impact fell like a bomb in her country. To make matters worse, her son Marius Borg Høiby is being tried on 38 serious charges in the Oslo District Court and remains in provisional detention.
Her country’s press is demanding explanations but, for the moment, they have hardly obtained any. A group of experts cited by the Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet has analyzed Mette-Marit’s critically precarious situation. Trond Albert Skjelbred, a public relations analyst, says for example that the only way to end the rumors is with facts. He believes the princess should call a press conference as soon as possible. He is clear that the Crown is in crisis and must act quickly.
Royalty expert Sigrid Hvidsten notes, in turn, that Mette-Marit is currently in an “extremely difficult situation.” Suffering from a serious pulmonary illness, with her son being tried and with her connection to Epstein “it is a lot to handle at once.” Hvidsten believes that, although the royal is not accused of having committed any crime, “she has indeed shown poor judgment and it is essential that she offer an appropriate explanation when the time comes.”
Mette-Marit: on leave and without explanations
Since disappearing from the public scene, Mette-Marit has only issued a statement, on February 6, through the Royal Palace. In it she says she is “deeply shocked by the testimonies of Epstein’s numerous victims and I offer them all my support. It is essential that their voices be heard. As a woman and a mother, I support them.” And she concludes by saying that “Jeffrey Epstein is responsible for his actions. I must take responsibility for not having investigated his background more thoroughly and for not having understood in time what kind of person he was.”
Since the revelation of the relationship between them, Mette-Marit’s already weakened popularity has fallen to new lows. The latest polls show that almost half of Norwegians believe that the wife of Prince Haakon should not become Queen of Norway in the future. For the moment, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has asked her to explain her relationship with Epstein. But more than a month later, the trial of her elder son, Marius Borg, continues in the Oslo District Court and the Crown Princess has yet to speak out.
Mette-Marit at her last public appearance.
With her royal duties paused, Mette-Marit “understands that many people are waiting for news from her,” which she finds completely natural; she would like to speak with them, but for now she cannot,” her husband tells the press. Naturally, this lack of news alarm the media in her country, such as the TV2 television network, which has requested clarifications from the Royal Palace. The question was clear: they wanted to know whether the Crown Princess was on leave due to illness and, if so, for how long.
Until now they had remained silent on the matter, but the communications director, Guri Varpe, did respond this time via email. “As everyone knows, the Crown Princess suffers from pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic disease. As we indicated in December, her health has recently deteriorated and preparations have begun for an assessment with a view to a lung transplant. She needs increasingly more therapy, rest, and appropriate recovery, and her official schedule is being adjusted to her health,” was the response, which does not indicate when Mette-Marit will resume her official agenda.
Mette-Marit: on leave and without explanations
The fragile health of Mette-Marit
