Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has broken her silence on her friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, saying she was 'manipulated and deceived' by him. In an emotional interview with Norwegian broadcaster NRK, the 52-year-old royal, who is married to Crown Prince Haakon, said she wished she had never met Epstein and took responsibility for not checking his background more carefully.
Mette-Marit, who has not been seen in public for over a month after being mentioned in the latest release of Epstein files in January, became tearful during the interview. She stressed that the victims of Epstein's abuse deserved justice and expressed anger that they had not received it. The interview was limited to 20 minutes due to her health, and she was supported by her husband.
The Crown Princess said she was introduced to Epstein in 2011 through mutual friends in global health and they became close. Emails released by the US Department of Justice showed extensive contact between 2011 and 2014, including arranging trips and meetings. She admitted borrowing Epstein's home in Palm Beach, Florida, for several days in January 2013, saying she did not pay and never saw anything illegal there. She described references to 'wife hunting' as 'banter' and insisted their relationship never had a different character.
Mette-Marit said she ended contact with Epstein in 2014 after feeling manipulated and realising he was not a good person. She said she did not know he was a sex offender or abuser. The interview also touched on her health, as she was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018 and is due to undergo a lung transplant. She will not take part in an upcoming state visit to Belgium due to her health.
Her son, Marius Borg Hoiby, is facing 38 charges at Oslo District Court, including four counts of sexual assault, which he denies. The Crown Princess and her husband have visited him in jail.
