Norway’s Crown Prince and Princess were all smiles on a visit to a farm in Oslo today, as pressure mounts on Mette-Marit’s 27-year-old son Marius.
Crown Prince Haakon, heir to the Norwegian throne, and his wife Princess Mette-Marit wore black rain jackets and black trousers, paired with practical boots, as they visited Fabro Farm.
As the couple chatted with farm staff and accepted beautiful flowers, their warm smiles betrayed no hint of stress amid a scandal that has rocked the Norwegian royal family in recent months.
Last week it was reported that Marius Borg Høiby, Mette-Marit’s son from a previous relationship, had been arrested again for violating a restraining order issued to protect his ex-girlfriend, Rebecca Helberg Arntsen, after admitting to assaulting her in a cocaine and alcohol-fuelled attack on 4 August.
Although Marius admitted to the attack, which left Rebecca in hospital with her injuries while he was arrested and held in a police cell overnight, he has denied breaching the restraining order.
Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit appeared in high spirits as they visited a farm in Oslo today.
Mette-Marit, whose son Marius is currently the subject of intense scrutiny in the Norwegian press, smiled as she held a bouquet of flowers.
Marius Borg Høiby, 27, was arrested again over the weekend on suspicion of violating a restraining order, Norwegian media reported.
According to Norwegian tabloid Se Og Hor, Høiby, 27, allegedly contacted his victim, whom he had previously referred to as his “girlfriend,” on Saturday, September 7, from a hidden phone number.
However, in a statement through his lawyer, Høiby has strongly denied the accusation. Defence lawyer Øyvind Bratlien has criticised the arrest for being based on “weak” evidence and accused the police of “reverse discrimination”.
Meanwhile, the charges against Høiby have been expanded to include three other victims, after more women came forward following his arrest.
None of the other victims have been named, but two have been identified: Høiby’s exes, Juliane Snekkestad and Nora Haukland.
The Norwegian royal family was shocked by Høiby’s first arrest in early August, after Rebecca Helberg Arntsen was hospitalised with her injuries following the attack.
The couple dressed in practical black outfits as they visited the farm.
Mette Marit beamed as she greeted onlookers, her smile betraying no hint of stress amid the scandal rocking the Norwegian royal family.
Mette-Marit put on a practical pair of black Wellington boots when she arrived at the farm.
The couple was shown around the farm and looked at the orchards.
Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit chatted with staff members as they walked around the farm.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s son from a previous relationship admitted last month to assaulting his “girlfriend” in a drink- and drug-fuelled rage.
Høiby, a former car mechanic, has previously been labelled the “black sheep” of the Norwegian royal family.
A week after his arrest, Høiby sensationally admitted to assaulting Rebecca, whom he referred to as his “girlfriend” (his lawyers have refuted this claim).
In a statement issued through his own lawyer, Høiby said he suffers from “several mental disorders” and has “struggled with substance abuse for a long time,” which is why he said he is resuming treatment.
The statement said: ‘Last weekend something happened that should never have happened. I caused bodily harm and destroyed property in an apartment while intoxicated and on cocaine following an argument.
‘I have several mental disorders, which means that throughout my education and adult life, I have had and continue to have challenges. I have struggled with substance abuse for a long time, something I have been in treatment for in the past.
‘Drug use and my diagnosis do not justify what happened in Frogner’s apartment last Sunday night. I want to take responsibility for what I have done and I will explain my actions honestly to the police.’
“For me, the most important thing is to apologize to my girlfriend. She did not deserve what happened that night or the extreme pressure she received afterwards from both the Norwegian and foreign press.”
Mette-Marit’s eldest son also apologized to his family for his actions which “have greatly affected them.”
Norwegian tabloid VG has since published what it claimed were clips of two phone calls between the 27-year-old and his victim after the violent and vandalistic episode at an apartment in Oslo on the evening of August 4.
During the conversation, former motorcycle mechanic Borg Høiby reportedly defended his assault by saying that he had been given “a pat on the back… they had hit you with a flat hand.”
Marius Borg Høiby (pictured) was not invited to a celebrity wedding after guests threatened not to attend if he was present
Borg Høiby (pictured with Prince Haakon in 2017) is suspected of causing bodily harm and criminal mischief.
Borg Høiby (pictured) “allegedly threatened to set fire to and burn the girl’s clothes and belongings” while on the phone, Se og Hør reported.
But the woman allegedly responded that he hit her 100 times and strangled her at least five times until she had trouble breathing, according to the Norwegian report after being translated into English.
Borg Høiby also reportedly threatened to burn the victim’s belongings in a container if he did not collect them from Skaugum Castle, his family’s official residence, by a certain time.
In other parts of the calls, which allegedly took place before Borg Høiby was arrested by police at 4:10 p.m., the Prince’s stepson allegedly mentioned a third person, claiming they were afraid “because I’m going to kill him.”
VG did not mention the individual’s name, but the publication claimed that both Borg Høiby and his “girlfriend” know him.
According to local reports, the audio is part of the police investigation against the 27-year-old, who was arrested and placed in police custody for 30 hours.
He has been charged with causing bodily harm and injuring a woman he was in a relationship with.
In the first conversation, Borg Høiby allegedly says out loud: “Yes, you should. If not, I will burn all your things,” after explaining that he wants the woman to collect his belongings.
When the victim asks him why he would do that, he replies, “Because you deserve all the shit I can throw at you,” and refers to his girlfriend in derogatory terms, according to the post.
“Your clothes will be on fire at 4 o’clock. At 4 o’clock. Everything you have is already in the space out here. And I have a big can of gasoline and a lighter in my hand. Do you hear that? You’ll be here at 4 o’clock,” says Borg Høiby.
“Then I’ll set fire to your stuff,” he adds, after the woman – who has apparently lived at Skaugum Castle with Borg Høiby and his mother and stepfather at certain times last year – insists she will not go with the 27-year-old.
Høiby, the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit from a previous relationship, was raised by his mother and stepfather with his half-siblings Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 20, and Prince Sverre Magnus, 18, but unlike them he has no official public role.
The arrest and his admission cast a shadow over the recent royal wedding in Norway, where Princess Martha Louise married American shaman Durek Verrett on August 31 in the Geiranger fjord.
Before the wedding, the Norwegian palace confirmed that Høiby would not be attending the wedding with his mother, stepfather and half-siblings. Norwegian media later reported that the former car mechanic had turned down an invitation to attend an Italian wedding of the son of a billionaire and an influencer.
However, when news of the assault and arrest broke, Høiby was disinvited from the wedding after guests threatened to walk out if he attended.
Marius arrived in Pisa ahead of the wedding of Karianne Vilde Spetalen, 30, and Kristian Spetalen, also 30.
Guests are believed to have thought that the Norwegian press would travel to Italy to document the wedding if Marius was present, a circumstance that some were uncomfortable with.
Sources told Se og Hør that Norwegian influencer Karianne and Kristian also faced negative reactions from their family regarding Marius’ planned attendance.
The scandal surrounding the arrest of Borg Høiby, the “black sheep” of the Norwegian royal family, has damaged the affection of some Norwegians for their monarchy, MailOnline previously revealed.
Traditionally, Norwegians are even more fervently royalist than the British, but we found that young people in particular were less forgiving of Borg Høiby’s behaviour.