Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit from a previous relationship, could face up to a year in prison as he was charged with bodily harm and criminal damage, according to The Independent.
A 27-year-old man spent 30 hours in police custody after a woman claimed he physically assaulted her in an Oslo flat.
Norwegian authorities stated that the Crown Prince’s stepson was arrested “calmly” after agreeing to meet with police at his half-sibling’s former school in Asker last Sunday afternoon. Local reports claimed that officers who attended found the flat “partially destroyed,” with authorities saying the charges had been expanded to include “damage to the apartment.”
Høiby has a relationship with the woman who was subjected to the physical abuse. The police do not have information that the woman has suffered serious injuries, but it will be part of the investigation to map out the extent of the victim’s injuries.
Police added that they continued to question Høiby and planned to conduct follow-up interviews with the victim. Høiby was officially recognised as a member of the royal family when his mother had married Crown Prince Haakonbut. However, Høiby has no official role.
He formally retired from royal duties at the age of 20 and now works as a motorbike mechanic, but continues to hit the headlines due to his controversial lifestyle.
The news of his arrest delayed his mother’s trip to Paris to watch Norwegian athletes compete in the Olympic Games. Mette-Marit was supposed to come to the French capital with her husband, Crown Prince Haakon, but instead stayed with her eldest son.
The scandal erupted as Høiby’s mother and stepfather prepared to take over as his father, 87-year-old King Harald V, suffered health issues. In April, officials said the king would make a “permanent reduction” in the number of his public appearances.
