Prince Haakon of Norway has found himself unexpectedly singled out in the midst of a media storm that keeps growing. The controversy erupted when a new detail was revealed in the court case surrounding Marius Borg, his stepson. This exclusive has caused more unease within the Scandinavian Royal House.
What seemed to be a personal matter for Borg has turned into an institutional crisis with troubling overtones. The Norwegian press is talking about nothing else, and the question is inevitable: why has Haakon's name now become linked to such a dark episode?
Prince Haakon linked to Marius Borg's trip in 2023
For more than a year, the case of Marius Borg Høiby has been at the center of public attention. The son of Princess Mette-Marit, Borg has gone from being a rebellious young man to becoming the protagonist of one of the most serious court cases in Norway's recent history.
Over months of investigation, the Oslo Prosecutor's Office has charged him with 32 crimes, including four alleged rapes. Amid this accumulation of charges, Borg's relationship with the Royal Family has always been a subject of scrutiny. The official silence of the monarchy and Prince Haakon's prudence have only fueled the debate about to what extent the institution can distance itself from the young man's behavior.
Now, a last-minute revelation has set off all the alarms. According to the Oslo Prosecutor's Office, one of the alleged abuses by Marius Borg would have taken place in October 2023 during a trip to Henningsvær. He made that trip with Prince Haakon, which has inevitably placed the heir at the center of the storm.
The Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet reported that one of the victims accuses Borg of assaulting her during that vacation. Although Haakon is not listed as a suspect, his mere presence opens a complex debate about responsibility and the degree of knowledge he may have had. The question is delicate: how should the image of an heir be managed when his close circle is tainted by such a murky case?
The court document describes the sequence in detail. During the stay in Henningsvær, Prince Haakon retired early to rest in his room. Meanwhile, Marius Borg went out at night and met a young woman of about 20 years old, with whom he had an apparently consensual first encounter.
However, the accusation details that this relationship ended in an alleged assault. In addition, Borg is said to have recorded intimate images of the victim without her consent while she was sleeping. If confirmed, the sentence could mean up to ten years in prison, according to the Norwegian penal code.
The media pressure of the case shakes Prince Haakon and Princess Mette-Marit
The Norwegian press has spent months criticizing the monarchy's attitude toward this scandal. Many journalists point out that the Royal House has not been transparent during the investigation and has tried to minimize the magnitude of the case. Now, with Haakon in the spotlight, the questioning multiplies.
The silence of Mette-Marit seems to be a strategy to avoid controversy, while Haakon has limited himself to one statement: "The case will go to court, which will decide the final outcome. We'll continue to fulfill our responsibilities as best we can, and that's what we're focused on. Without a doubt, everyone involved in this matter finds it challenging and difficult."
The link between Prince Haakon and the trip in which Marius Borg committed an alleged crime has opened an even more delicate chapter for Norway. Although the Prosecutor's Office doesn't name the heir as involved, his closeness to the young man puts the monarchy's reputation in jeopardy. The question is whether the institution will manage to overcome this crisis or if the scandal will leave an indelible mark on its future.