Oslo, 15 June (HS): Marius Borg Høiby, the eldest son of Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit, was sentenced to four years in prison on Monday after being convicted in a rape case.

The court found Høiby guilty on two of the four rape charges against him and acquitted him of the remaining two counts.

According to the verdict, the charges related to incidents involving women who were allegedly asleep or otherwise unable to resist. The offences were alleged to have occurred between 2018 and 2024.

In addition to the rape charges, Høiby also faced several other charges, including assault, drug-related offences and violations of a restraining order.

Høiby had denied the rape allegations but admitted to a number of lesser offences, including certain drug-related crimes and breaches of legal restrictions.

The case attracted significant attention in Norway due to Høiby's connection to the royal family. Although he does not hold a royal title or perform official royal duties, he is the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit from a relationship prior to her marriage to Crown Prince Haakon.

The trial lasted several weeks and concluded earlier this year after the court heard testimony from multiple complainants and examined evidence presented during the proceedings.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar