His stepdad is a future king. His alleged crimes are horrendous.

Marius Borg Høiby grew up in the shadow of royalty.

He's the firstborn son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit and her former partner Morten Borg, from before she met the king.

When Mette-Marit remarried into the royal family, Høiby, aged four, became the stepson of Crown Prince Haakon, the future King of Norway.

As his mother stepped into the royal spotlight in the early 2000s, the press dubbed her young son "Little Marius". The nickname stuck.

While he's a part of the family, he is not a part of the Royal House, in that he is free to do as he chooses and not take up the mantle of royal work.

Now, at 29, Høiby is at the centre of a criminal case that's making headlines worldwide.

He's facing a string of serious charges — 38 counts — including rape, sexual assault, and bodily harm following a months-long investigation. He has denied most of the charges.

This week, Høiby is due to face court, with the trial set to begin on Tuesday, 3 February in Oslo. It is expected to last between seven and eight weeks.

If found guilty, he could get up to 10 years in jail.

Police say the case involves a "double-digit" number of alleged victims.

Speaking in June 2025, Oslo Police Attorney Andreas Kruszewski said the case was based on text messages, witness statements and evidence gathered through police searches.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway, Prince Sverre Magnus of Norway, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Marius Borg Hoiby in 2015. Image: Getty.

On Wednesday, 28 January, just shy of a week before the trial's start date, Norway's Crown Prince Haakon released a statement.

He mentioned that Høiby, while an "important part of our family", would not be above the law.

"He is a citizen of Norway, and through that he has the same responsibilities as everyone else, but also the same rights," Haakon said.

He also included some remarks to the alleged victims.

"Our thoughts are with everyone who is affected by this case. It has an impact on the individuals, their families and all those who care about them. We understand that this is a difficult time for many of you, and we sympathise," he said.

The Norwegian royals added that they will not be in the courtroom during the trial.

While Prince Haakon will continue in his official duties, Høiby's mother Mette-Marit will be staying in a private residence for a few weeks. It comes as she has scaled back her royal workload due to health concerns surrounding her pulmonary fibrosis.

Image: Getty.

Speaking earlier, Police Attorney Kruszewski said Høiby was cooperative during police questioning. He confirmed the most serious charges include one count of rape involving intercourse, two counts of rape without intercourse, four counts of sexual assault and two counts of bodily harm.

"I cannot go into further detail about the number of victims in the case beyond confirming that it is a double-digit number," he said.

Høiby's defence attorney Petar Sekulic told The Associated Press his client was "absolutely taking the accusations very seriously, but doesn't acknowledge any wrongdoing in most of the cases — especially the cases regarding sexual abuse and violence."

Once a fixture in the palace alongside his royal half-siblings, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 22, and Prince Sverre Magnus, 20, Høiby now lives in a separate home near the family's residence, according to Sekulic.

This case has captivated Norway, not just because of the seriousness of the charges, but because of Høiby's connection to one of Europe's most famed royal families.

When his mother married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001, she made headlines around the world as a single mum with a complicated past, including a former partner with a drug conviction. Høiby does not hold a royal title.

Speaking to the BBC, royal correspondent Tove Taalesen discussed the position Høiby has had in the Norwegian spotlight.

"[Prince Haakon] lifted up this sweet, innocent little boy and presented him to the Norwegian people. He was a stepdad, and he wanted to include Marius, but at the same time, they didn't give Marius any title, any purpose, so he had this odd function in the family — he was a big part of it, but he wasn't a part of it," she said.

-with AAP

Feature image: AAP.