What was intended to be a solemn and emotional family ceremony has turned into an image that has sparked outrage among many Norwegians, but also internationally. Marius Borg Høiby, the 29-year-old son of Queen Mette-Marit of Norway, participated in a procession in memory of the late King Harald after being convicted to four years in prison on 34 charges that included two counts of rape, abuse of former girlfriends, assaults, and threats.
The young man, who is not in the line of succession nor related by blood to the late monarch, joined seven other members of the Norwegian royal family who accompanied the king Harald’s coffin. The young man positioned himself in the background during the transfer of the coffin, draped with a flag, from the Red Hall of the Royal Palace to the chapel, where it will remain until the funeral, which will take place on September 9.
Marius Borg is under house arrest at the royal estate of Skaugum with an electronic ankle bracelet, but he has been granted a special permit to attend this ceremony. “The prosecutor considered that there were grounds to grant the requests for permission filed by Høiby in relation to the monarch’s death,” said the Oslo police about the young man, who remains awaiting the outcome of his appeal against his sentence.
Queen Mette-Marit has never spoken publicly about the crimes committed by her son. However, before the trial of Marius Borg, King Haakon issued a statement through the Norwegian royal household in which he said: “Our thoughts are with all those affected by this case. This has repercussions for the people involved, their families and all those who care about them. We understand that this is a difficult moment for many of you, and we express our solidarity.”
Indignation at the Presence of Marius Borg
How must those “affected” people Haakon mentioned have felt witnessing the convict Marius Borg free and as another member of the royal family beside the mortal remains of the widely beloved King Harald? The indignation is palpable, primarily on social media, where many Norwegians have harshly criticized granting such a solemn and visible role to a person convicted of serious sexual crimes.
The coffin of King Harald laid to rest in the chapel of the Royal Palace.
Norwegian media such as NRK have highlighted that this event represents the most serious trust crisis in the modern history of the Norwegian monarchy. An institution that, also due to Mette-Marit’s recent links with Jeffrey Epstein, has fallen from 81% (in 2017) to 64% in current support. On forums like Reddit and on social networks like Twitter, the Crown has been criticized for its lack of sensitivity toward the victims of Marius Borg.
Political editors of major outlets such as the newspaper Aftenposten have expressed concern about the long-term impact on the new kings that may result from seeing Mette-Marit’s son sharing the official mourning on the front lines. And they unanimously emphasize that, although the law permits prison leaves for the death of close relatives, public opinion makes it inevitable that a debate will arise about preferential treatment for the royal family.
Family Mourning Above the Scandal
This indignation in certain segments of the population has clashed with messages that have tried to explain or justify Marius Borg’s presence in the funeral procession. Experts on Norwegian royalty noted that the late monarch participated in planning his own funeral before dying at 89, which indicates that he expressly wished his political grandson to be present during the ceremony.
A tribute to King Harald in front of Oslo’s Royal Palace.
Historian and Norwegian writer Trond Norén Isaksen argued for separating the family sphere from the criminal: “It was a private act that the family decided to share with the public. Therefore, it was logical that Marius Borg would be there. The criminal case against him is serious, but those convicted and people awaiting appeals also have families.”
The media agree that it was to be expected that Mette-Marit’s eldest son would participate in the mourning acts, despite his conviction. “Judging by what the new king said in his speech [last Saturday], the family remains united in good times and bad,” said royal expert Tor Bomann-Larsen to NRK. “Despite his troubles, he remains always inclusive, and that is also in keeping with the spirit of King Harald.”
