The controversies surrounding Norway's new queen Mette-Marit

A series of controversies surrounding Mette-Marit

Mette-Marit's low popularity follows from a long series of controversies attached to her. According to the polls, she has not succeeded in offsetting this through her royal duties.

Wild living and single mom

When Mette-Marit married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001 and became Norway's Crown Princess, it was highly contentious. She was the daughter of divorced parents, and she had by her own account, led a wild life.

She was moreover a single mother to four-year-old Marius Borge Hoiby, born outside marriage. Marius's father is convicted of violence and narcotics offence.

Mette-Marit’s father

The first years after the marriage were marked by scandals and major headlines, above all concerning Mette-Marit's father, Sven O. Hoiby, who lived a life at odds with royal protocol and was happy to talk to the tabloid press.

At age 66 Hoiby married a 38-year-old knows as a stripper; it later emerged that the wedding had been arranged and paid for by a tabloid magazine. He died in 2007.

Mette-Marit’s brother

In 2003, one of Mette-Marit's two brothers was convicted of violence against his ex-girlfriend and sentenced to 60 days in prison; he appealed, but the appeal was rejected.

Brought surrogate twins out of India

In 2012, Mette-Marit used her diplomatic passport to obtain a fast-track visa to India. The trip was secret; she was listed in the Palace calendar as attending that year's parliamentary dinner. In India she looked after twins born to a surrogate mother, as a favour to a male member of staff. Surrogacy is illegal in Norway.

Asked the press to go easy on Marius

In January 2017, the crown princess wrote an open letter to the Norwegian press asking it to show respect for her son Marius, who was then turning 20. Unfavourable pieces had been written about her son and rumours were circulating about his way of life.

Informs about lung disease

In 2018, the crown princess disclosed that she had been diagnosed with chronic pulmonary fibrosis.

Contact with Jeffrey Epstein

In 2019 it became known that Mette-Marit had been in contact with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein in the period from 2011 to 2013. This was after Prince Andrew had been obliged to break with Jeffrey Epstein in 2010, Mette-Marit's acquaintance with Epstein therefore attracted considerable attention.

In the same period, moreover, there had been rumours of marital problems between Haakon and Mette-Marit.

Although Mette-Marit apologised for the acquaintance, she omitted to say how extensive the contact had been.

Lung transplant message the day of new Epstein-files

On 19 December last year (2025), the Royal House announced that Crown Princess Mette-Marit would need a lung transplant in the future, the same date on which the US Department of Justice had stated that new Epstein files would be published.

The Epstein files showed that Mette-Marit had had more contact with Epstein than she had communicated in 2019, and that the contact did not cease until 2014. An apology followed, but no explanation to the Norwegian people.

Despite the matter dominating the news, it would take months before any account was given.

Further Epstein files attest to a close relationship

On 30 January (2026), further Epstein files were published. Jeffrey Epstein's email archive revealed that they had met more times than disclosed, and that the contact between them was close and confiding — a contact many thought unbecoming of a married woman, far less a future queen. Read more.

Son Marius to meet in court, charged with serious crimes

These new Epstein disclosures came only days before Mette-Marit's son, Marius Borg Hoiby, was due to appear in Oslo District Court charged on a total of 40 counts, including rape, domestic violence and narcotics offences. The incidents are said to have taken place from 2018 to 2026. Read more.

Late and ambiguous explanation from Mette-Marit

Both the trial and Mette-Marit's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein dominated the news and sent the Norwegian monarchy into crisis.

Not until 20 March, after the seven-week trial against Marius Borg Hoiby had concluded, did the public receive an explanation of Mette-Marit's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

Haakon took part alongside Mette-Marit in an interview on the state broadcaster NRK. The channel was criticised for having sent the questions to the crown prince and princess in advance and for not asking critical follow-up questions. The interview came across as orchestrated, gave few answers and prompted fresh public debate. Read more.

Lung transplant and waiting list debate

On 5 June came word that Mette-Marit had been given a place on the waiting list for a lung transplant. Norway has a public health service and Mette-Marit is not to be given priority in the queue. The waiting list was, however, historically short prior to this, and this created debate as to whether Mette-Marit had been prioritised.

Society and Politics reviewed public information, reports and statements from Rikshospitalet (The National Hospital) and found marked discrepancies that may indicate the waiting lists were manipulated in Mette-Marit's favour. Despite the reliable, public sources published by S&P, the Norwegian mass media have not addressed the discrepancies. The debate over the waiting list has continued on social media regardless, a sign that the public feels it has not been given adequate answers from the authorities. Read more.

Mette-Marit underwent a successful lung transplant mid June. Read more.

Verdict against Marius Borg Hoiby

On 15 June the verdict against Mette-Marit's son Marius (age 29) is handed down. He was convicted on 36 of the 40 counts, one of which was a rape on the royal residence Skaugum. He was sentenced to four years in prison, but appealed. An appeal case will dominate the news once again; it has not been settled when the trial will take place. Read more.

Having been remanded in custody on 2 February and spent some months in prison, Marius was granted custody with an electronic ankle tag in a dwelling at Skaugum.

By 15 July both Mette-Marit, who had been discharged from hospital after the lung transplant, and Marius were back at Skaugum. Read more.

It is a highly exceptional set of circumstances that the son of Norway's queen is held in custody on royal property.