Princess Mette-Marit of Norway appeared in high spirits as she embarked on her first royal tour since the arrest of her son Marius today.
The 51-year-old European royal and her husband Prince Haakon, 51, began their three-day tour in the Sor-Trondelag region of Norway.
For her visit to Bell School, the mother of three wore a red and white floral midi skirt, which she paired with a cropped black jacket.
Mette-Marit completed her outfit with a pair of black wellies and black and white selburose gloves, which Prince Haakon was also pictured wearing.
The royal kept her makeup minimal and styled her shoulder-length, light blonde hair in loose waves.
Pictured: Prince Haakon and Princess Mette-Marit visit the Bell School in Selbu on the first day of their three-day tour of Sor-Trondelag
Meanwhile, Prince Haakon cut a casual figure in black jeans, a navy trench coat and brown suede shoes.
The couple were greeted by a crowd of young royal fans waving the Norwegian flag as they arrived at the school.
After receiving bouquets of flowers, the couple took the time to stop and talk to the school children before heading inside.
The engagement comes after Princess Mette-Marit’s son Marius (whom she shares with a previous partner) sensationally admitted to assaulting his “girlfriend” “after an argument” while “intoxicated on cocaine and alcohol” in a statement last month.
Last week, Marius was photographed arriving in Pisa as the rest of his family attended the controversial wedding of his aunt-in-law, Princess Märtha Louise of Norway, to shaman Durek Verrett.
He currently faces preliminary charges of bodily injury and criminal damage and could face up to a year in prison.
Before Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett tied the knot, the Norwegian Palace had confirmed that Borg Høiby would also not be attending the nation’s wedding of the year.
“I can confirm that Marius Borg Høiby will not be attending the wedding,” a palace spokesperson told FEMAIL.
For her visit to Bell School, the mother of three wore a red and white floral midi skirt, which she paired with a cropped black jacket.
The engagement comes after Princess Mette-Marit’s son Marius (pictured June 2022), whom she shares with a previous partner, sensationally admitted to assaulting his “girlfriend” “after an argument” while “intoxicated on cocaine and alcohol” in a statement last month.
After receiving bouquets of flowers, the couple took the time to stop and talk to the schoolchildren before entering.
The couple were greeted by a crowd of young royal fans waving the Norwegian flag as they arrived at the school.
Mette-Marit completed her outfit with a pair of black wellies and black and white selburose gloves, which Prince Haakon was also photographed wearing.
Borg Høiby issued a statement earlier this month apologizing for attacking his “girlfriend,” citing her mental health diagnosis.
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.”
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 does not mention the individual’s name, but the publication claims 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 4pm. At 4pm. 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 4pm,” 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.
The tattooed 27-year-old stepson (pictured in Pisa) of Norway’s future king sensationally admitted to assaulting his “girlfriend” “after an argument” while “intoxicated on cocaine and alcohol” in a statement in August, which rocked the Nordic nation.
Marius Borg Høiby (pictured) was seen arriving in Pisa last month before missing the controversial wedding of his aunt-in-law Princess Märtha Louise of Norway to shaman Durek Verrett.
Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit attend the wedding of Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett in Geiranger, Norway, Saturday, August 31.
Norwegian Princess Martha Louise (L) with Durek Verrett arrive for their wedding party at the Union Hotel in Geiranger, western Norway, on August 31, 2024
According to VG, the two were in a relationship and Borg Høiby apologized to “my girlfriend” in his statement on Wednesday. In July, Borg Høiby announced that he was dating Rebecca Helberg Arntsen.
However, since her statement, the victim’s lawyer, Mette Yvonne Larsen, said: Fact Sheet‘The last time I spoke to my client, they weren’t lovers.’
The prince’s stepson has already pleaded guilty and says he is prepared to serve any sentence imposed on him, his lawyer Oyvind Bratlien told Norwegian television channel TV2.
But 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.
