In a landmark interview, Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit has publicly addressed her controversial ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein for the very first time. The royal revealed she felt manipulated, deceived, and unsafe during a 2013 encounter at Epstein's Palm Beach, Florida, mansion, shedding new light on a relationship that has sparked intense scrutiny of her judgment.
Royal Couple Confronts Fallout in Televised Interview
Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who is married to heir to the throne Crown Prince Haakon, spoke alongside her husband in a carefully timed 20-minute interview with Norwegian broadcaster NRK. The conversation occurred on Thursday, coinciding with the conclusion of the criminal trial against her son, Marius Borg Høiby, who faces rape allegations he denies. Prosecutors have sought a prison sentence of seven years and seven months for Høiby, with a verdict expected in early June.
While the interview contained no explosive revelations, it marked a significant moment as the royal couple directly confronted the ongoing fallout from the crown princess's association with Epstein. This relationship has raised persistent questions about her discernment, though she has not been accused of any wrongdoing herself. The interview was notably time-limited due to Mette-Marit's health; she suffers from pulmonary fibrosis, a condition that causes serious breathing difficulties.
Expressions of Regret and Responsibility
Mette-Marit has previously apologised for the situation her actions placed the royal family in, and she reiterated her remorse during the NRK broadcast. She first met the disgraced financier in 2011, with their contact continuing into 2014. The infamous Epstein files, which document his activities, contain several hundred mentions of the crown princess. In 2019, she publicly expressed regret for having had any contact with him, a sentiment she reinforced in this latest interview.
Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sexually abusing underage girls at his properties across the United States. Mette-Marit told NRK she was unaware of his status as a sex offender and abuser at the time, stating she only ever saw him interact with adults and never witnessed any illegal activities firsthand.
She conveyed a profound sense of guilt for Epstein's victims, explaining she has spent years processing their relationship and the horrific allegations against him. The crown princess acknowledged she takes responsibility for failing to research his background thoroughly, describing herself as gullible and manipulated.
Email Exchanges Reveal Personal Dynamics
The Epstein files include extensive email correspondence between the two, which some observers interpreted as evidence of a close friendship. In one particularly revealing message, Mette-Marit wrote to Epstein, "you tickle my brain." Another exchange from October 2012 saw Epstein remark he was in Paris "on my wife hunt," to which Mette-Marit replied that Paris was "good for adultery" but "Scandis" were "better wife material."
Further messages confirmed that Mette-Marit borrowed an Epstein-owned property in Palm Beach, Florida, for several days in 2013. She clarified this stay was arranged through a mutual friend, and it was during this visit that the unsettling encounter occurred, leaving her feeling so unsafe she felt compelled to call Crown Prince Haakon back home in Norway. She declined to elaborate on the specifics of this incident during the interview but emphasised her continued contact with Epstein stemmed from her vulnerability to manipulation.
This candid disclosure from the Norwegian crown princess provides a rare glimpse into the personal repercussions of associations with high-profile criminals, highlighting themes of deception, royal accountability, and the long shadow cast by Epstein's crimes.
