Marius Borg Høiby, the 29-year-old son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, was sentenced to four years in prison on Monday by the Oslo District Court. The court found him guilty of two counts of rape and several other offenses, including domestic violence and narcotics crimes. He was acquitted of two other rape charges. The conviction for rape involves incidents between 2018 and 2024. According to the BBC, one of these occurred on the Crown Prince’s estate at Skaugum in 2018, while another took place in Oslo in 2024. The court found insufficient proof that two other encounters were nonconsensual. Høiby faced a total of 40 charges, which included assault, drug-related crimes, and violations of restraining orders. While he denied the rape allegations, he admitted to several lesser offenses, including transporting 3.5kg of marijuana in 2020 and domestic abuse against his former girlfriend, Nora Haukland. Prosecutors had requested a sentence of seven years and seven months, while defense lawyers sought an 18-month term and acquittal on the rape charges. During the trial, Høiby stated he felt an “extreme need for recognition” due to growing up near the throne without an official title. Crown Prince Haakon distanced the monarchy from the case, stating that Høiby is a citizen of Norway who faces the same legal accountability as everyone else. The trial occurred while Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who has pulmonary fibrosis and is awaiting a lung transplant, faced serious health issues. Høiby’s lawyers sought his release from custody to spend time with his mother, but the court of appeal overturned a previous agreement to release him. The case also drew attention to the Crown Princess’s past associations with the late Jeffrey Epstein, for which she has publicly apologized. Høiby remains in custody and can appeal the verdict.