Marius Borg Høiby leaves prison to care for Princess Mette-Marit and reignites debate over royal privilege

Marius Borg Høiby will leave preventive custody to serve his sentence under electronic monitoring at the royal residence, a decision that has sparked major controversy in Norway. Norwegian justice has made a decision that is causing huge controversy both inside and outside the country. Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, will be allowed to leave preventive custody and serve the remainder of his sentence under electronic monitoring at the Skaugum residence, where part of the royal family lives. The 29-year-old was recently sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of 34 offences, including rape, assault, drug-related offences and abuse of a former girlfriend. Although Høiby has appealed part of the sentence, he decided not to challenge the convictions related to the abuse of his ex-girlfriend or the restraining order imposed against him. [irp posts="137635"] During the court hearing, prosecutors requested that he remain in prison while the appeal was being resolved, but the court accepted his request to leave the detention facility on family grounds. The main argument presented by Høiby was the fragile health of his mother, Princess Mette-Marit, who underwent a lung transplant last June after living for years with pulmonary fibrosis, diagnosed in 2018. “My family is going through a very difficult time. We are all supporting my mother. Not being able to do my part to help her has been incredibly hard,” he told the court. The judge also considered that there was no significant risk of flight or reoffending while he remains monitored with an electronic tag at the royal residence. However, prosecutors may still appeal the decision. Høiby also said during the hearing that he does not wish to have any contact with his former girlfriend again. “I do not want to go through another trial or relive all of that again. If she ever appeared at my door, I would immediately call the police.” The court ruling has triggered an intense debate in Norway and on social media, where many citizens are questioning whether someone with no connection to the royal family would have received the same treatment. One of the voices to gain the most attention has been Spanish influencer Nuria Secret, who analysed the case in her ‘Royal Salseo’ section. According to what she explained on social media, the court’s decision once again brings to the surface the debate over the different treatment received by members of royal families compared with ordinary citizens. The content creator was especially critical of the judge’s decision to dismiss a potential flight risk on the grounds that Høiby had shown remorse. “Come on… they are taking us for fools,” she said, arguing that it would be difficult to imagine a person without ties to the monarchy obtaining a similar measure in a case of this gravity. Beyond individual opinions, the court’s decision once again places the Norwegian Royal House in an extremely delicate position. The case of Marius Borg Høiby has been damaging the image of the institution for months and has opened a debate over the limits between justice, equality before the law and the privileges associated with royalty. Now, while the legal process continues and prosecutors consider whether to appeal the decision, Høiby will return to Skaugum to serve his sentence under electronic monitoring, a ruling that is unlikely to put an end to the controversy surrounding the son of Norway’s future queen.