The son of Norway's crown princess is suspected of three rapes and nearly two dozen other offences, Norwegian police said Friday, handing the case to prosecutors to decide whether to press charges.
Marius Borg Hoiby, who was born as a result of a relationship before Crown Princess Mette-Marit's marriage to Crown Prince Haakon, has been under investigation since his arrest on August 4 last year on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
The arrest led to a slew of allegations against the 28-year-old that have shaken the royal family.
Police attorney Andreas Kruszweski told reporters the 10-month investigation had been completed.
Hoiby was suspected of "one count of rape with sexual intercourse" and "two counts of rape without sexual intercourse", Kruszweski said.
Hoiby's lawyer Ellen Holager Andenaes told news agency NTB her client rejected the three rape allegations.
Hoiby has previously admitted to assault and vandalism in the August 2024 incident.
In a public statement 10 days after his arrest, he said he had acted "under the influence of alcohol and cocaine after an argument", having suffered from "mental troubles" and struggling "for a long time with substance abuse".
Police said Hoiby was also suspected of four counts of sexually offensive behaviour, one count of abuse in a close relationship, two counts of bodily harm, one count of vandalism, one count of issuing threats, five violations of restraining orders, one count of insulting a police officer, and five traffic offences.
"I cannot elaborate on the number of victims in the case other than to confirm that we are talking about a double-digit number," Kruszweski said.
Hoiby, a tall strapping blond who cultivates a "bad boy" look with slicked back hair, earrings, rings and tattoos, has been in the eye of a media storm since his arrest.
When the rape allegations emerged in November, he spent a week behind bars in custody -- unprecedented for a member of Norway's royal family.
After his release, he reportedly went to rehab in London.
Hoiby is the child of a brief romance between his mother and Morten Borg -- who has also been convicted of abuse and drug-related crimes -- at a time when the future princess was part of Norway's house music scene, known for its abundance of hash and ecstasy.
