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In a statement to Norwegian broadcaster, NRK, the Crown Princess of Norway said, "I deeply regret that, and this is a responsibility I must take. I showed poor judgment and regret ever having any contact with Epstein. It is simply embarrassing."
She also admitted she was responsible "for not having checked Epstein's background more closely and not understanding quickly enough what kind of person he was."
This statement contradicts her email to Epstein in October 2011: "Googled u after last email. Agree didn't look good." Her response included a smiley emoji.
Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store "agreed" that the Crown Princess had a lapse in judgment.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit is the wife of Crown Prince Haakon, heir to the Norwegian throne.
The most recent Department of Justice release of Epstein documents, many of which were redacted, in which the Crown Princess was mentioned more than 1000 times.
Between 2011 and 2013, Epstein and the Crown Princess had extensive email contact and met several times. She spent four days at his Florida home while on vacation in 2013. Epstein was not present during her visit.
In one email exchange on October 12, 2012, Epstein writes: "I am looking for a wife. Paris is proving interesting, but I prefer Scandinavians." A few hours later, Mette-Marit responded: "Freezing. Snow yesterday. Paris is good for adultery. Scandi better wife material. But then again Who am I to talk to?"
In another email, Epstein wrote: There are two Norwegians here, 24 and 25. I like Oslo."
Mette-Marit responded the following morning. "Oh, my God! You must be drunk. Typo. The girls are 24 and 25? I like Oslo too. Call me tomorrow."
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The following emails will not have gone down well in Luxembourg. On October 20, 2012, the Crown Prince and Princess were guests at the wedding of Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Countess Stephanie de Lannoy.
In the recent tranche release, the Norwegian media focused on an email exchange where the Crown Princess asks Epstein: "Is it inappropriate for a mother to suggest two naked women carrying a surfboard for my 15 yr old son's wallpaper?"
Epstein responded: “Let them decide, mother should stay out of it"
Mette-Marit's son, Marius Borg Høiby, now 28, is facing 38 charges, including raping four women.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2xj3ykpj4oDuring their three-year correspondence, she told Epstein: "You are such a sweetheart." In another email, Mette Marit wrote: "I miss you my crazy friend."
Mette-Marit ceased contact with Epstein in 2013. The palace stated that she believed he was "trying to use his relationship wth the crown princesas leverage with other people."
On January 31, the Norwegian royal family's communications manager, Guri Varpe, released a statement to the press. "During the period the Crown Princess had contact with Epstein, she was not aware of the extent and nature of the criminal acts he had admitted to and served time for. The Crown Princess was, of course, not aware of the crimes that had subsequently been uncovered."
The Crown Princess was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis. Her health has continued to deteriorate, and her doctors are considering a lung transplant.
https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2025/12/update-on-crown-princess-mette-marits.html
In an op-ed, Aftenposten's chief political editor. Kjetil Alstadheim poses the question: "Can Mette-Marit become queen after this?" He does not offer an answer, although he notes that the emails surpass the scandals with Princess Märtha Louise and her shaman husband, and Marius's trial.
In 2019, Epstein, a convicted sex offender, committed suicide in prison.
The fallout of the Crown Princess's emails with Epstein has begun. She has been removed as patron of the Sex og Samfunn (Sex & Society), according to a statement released earlier today:
"The important thing for the foundation has been the consideration of our patients, of all victims of abuse and of all those who stand up to prevent sexual abuse, including several of the winners of the Skamløs Prize. It is with their consideration that we now wish to end our collaboration with HRH Crown Princess Mette-Marit, patron of the Skamløs Prize.
Sex and Society is aware that we do not know everything in this matter, but at the same time, we believe that what has already been made known is incompatible with what the Skamløs Award stands for."
The Norwegian Red Cross is also reconsidering its ties with the Crown Princess. Andreas Bjørnstad, the communications director, said: "It is crucial to clearly distance ourselves from the abuses for which Epstein was convicted. Children and young people must be reassured that society has zero tolerance for sexual abuse."
He considers it important that the Crown Princess has acknowledged her poor judgment in her correspondence with Epstein. Mette-Marit has been the Red Cross' patron since 2005.
A survey by Norway's TV2 shows 47.6% of 834 respondents who do not want Mette-Marit to be Queen.
Earlier today (February 2), the Crown Prince and Crown Princess left their home, Skagaum, in a car, perhaps heading to an Eastern Norway hospital, where Marius was examined by a doctor. They were joined by Princess Ingrid Alexandra. The newspaper, VG, published a photo of the Crown Prince and Princess and Princess Ingrid Alexandra in the hospital's doorway.
Last Wednesday, the Crown Prince Haakon told the media, "The Crown Princess and I have decided not to be present in the courtroom. We also do not plan to comment or make statements during the trial. Both the King, the Queen, and I have planned an official program during the period and plan to carry it out."
There are unconfirmed reports that she will be out of the country for the duration of her son Marius's trial.
Also, earlier today, Marius Borg Hoiby was ordered held in custody for four weeks following his arrest on Sunday evening in Oslo. According to NRK, Hoiby was "charged with assault, threats with a knife, and violation of a restraining order."
The detention order stated: "The court believes that there is reasonable cause for suspicion for the three counts in the indictment. It is therefore more likely that the accused is guilty than not guilty according to the charges."
The alleged attack took place this past weekend in Oslo. Marius' trial starts on Tuesday.
