Norwegian Monarchy Rocked by Epstein Email Revelations and Royal Family Trials
The Norwegian royal family is confronting one of the most challenging periods in its modern history, as newly disclosed emails expose the disturbing closeness between Crown Princess Mette-Marit and the late convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. The revelations have emerged during the same week that the Crown Princess's son faces trial for serious criminal allegations, creating unprecedented pressure on the Scandinavian monarchy.
Intimate Correspondence Reveals Troubling Friendship
While previous disclosures had acknowledged some communication between the 52-year-old future Queen and Epstein, the latest batch of emails reveals a far more intimate relationship than previously admitted. The correspondence, spanning from 2011 to 2014, shows Epstein referring to Mette-Marit as "twisted" and "not your typical royal," while the Crown Princess herself called the disgraced financier "sweetheart" in her messages.
Perhaps most damaging is evidence suggesting contact continued much later than previously acknowledged. An email from Christmas Day 2018, just eight months before Epstein's jail cell suicide, references plans for a potential meeting between the Crown Princess, Epstein, and mutual friend Boris Nikolić in Palm Beach during 2019.
Embarrassing Exchanges and Poor Judgment
The email exchanges contain numerous eyebrow-raising moments that have caused significant embarrassment to the Norwegian monarchy. In one particularly inappropriate message, Mette-Marit asked Epstein whether it would be "inappropriate for a mother to suggest two naked women carrying a surfboard for my 15 yr old son's wallpaper."
Other messages show the Crown Princess joking about Epstein's love life, suggesting Paris was "good for adultery" while Scandinavian women made "better wife material." She signed some correspondence with informal abbreviations of her name, including "Mm" and "Mette m," further indicating the personal nature of their relationship.
Royal Health Speculation and Concerning Questions
The emails also reveal that Epstein and Nikolić discussed Mette-Marit's health in concerning terms. In one exchange, Nikolić tells Epstein: "Presumably she is not well at all," adding "I would hate that life - it is much worse than what we thought." While the Crown Princess has publicly disclosed her diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis in 2018, some observers speculate these messages might reference mental as well as physical health concerns.
Most troubling is the timing of these continued communications, which occurred despite Mette-Marit's apparent awareness of Epstein's criminal background. In a 2011 email, she wrote to Epstein that she had "googled" him and "it didn't look too good," yet maintained their relationship for years afterward.
Concurrent Family Crisis Compounds Royal Woes
The Epstein revelations coincide with a separate but equally damaging crisis involving Mette-Marit's 29-year-old son, Marius Borg Hoiby. The stepson of Crown Prince Haakon is currently on trial in Oslo's district court, facing 38 criminal charges including the alleged rape of four women, assault, and drug offences. He denies the most serious allegations but could face up to 16 years imprisonment if convicted.
This dual scandal has prompted serious questions about the future of the Norwegian monarchy. Recent polling indicates only 27 percent of Norwegians support Mette-Marit becoming Queen, a figure likely to decline further following these latest disclosures.
Royal Response and Public Reaction
In a statement released through the royal palace, Crown Princess Mette-Marit acknowledged her "poor judgment" and expressed deep regret for her association with Epstein. "I showed poor judgment and I deeply regret having had any contact with Epstein. It is simply embarrassing," she stated, accepting responsibility for not investigating Epstein's background more thoroughly.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store has publicly agreed that the Crown Princess demonstrated flawed judgment, while royal historian Ole-Jorgen Schulsrud-Hansen noted that "all the 'safety catches' around her also failed" in this situation.
Background of Controversial Royal Figure
Mette-Marit's relationship with the Norwegian monarchy has been controversial from the beginning. Born to ordinary parents - a journalist father and former bank clerk mother - she experienced what she described as a "wild" youth rebellion during her university years, including attendance at parties where recreational drugs were present.
Her relationship with Crown Prince Haakon, which began in 1999, initially faced public resistance due to her background and previous relationship with Morten Borg, with whom she had son Marius in 1997. Borg was later convicted for various offences including violence and cocaine possession.
The couple's decision to cohabit before marriage also attracted criticism, given Haakon's future role as head of Norway's Lutheran church, which traditionally opposes unmarried cohabitation.
Uncertain Future for Norwegian Monarchy
As the Epstein email scandal unfolds alongside her son's criminal trial, serious questions are being raised about whether Mette-Marit can realistically become Norway's Queen. Norwegian political editor Kjetil B. Alstadheim articulated these concerns in a weekend column, directly asking: "Can Mette-Marit become queen after this?"
The royal family has announced that neither Crown Prince Haakon nor Mette-Marit will attend their son's seven-week trial, with Haakon stating his wife would be away on a private trip during this period. This decision has done little to quell public concern about the multiple crises facing Norway's royal household.
The convergence of these scandals represents perhaps the greatest challenge to the Norwegian monarchy in recent decades, testing both public confidence and the institution's ability to weather simultaneous personal and professional crises affecting its future leadership.
