Marius Borg Høiby News & Current Events Part 1: December 2023 -


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
We don't know. If he has a major mental illness he may not be processing his situation accurately. If he has a personality disorder, he is likely angry and finds it difficult to restrain himself. If he is actively using, then anything is possible. This doesn't make him "not criminally responsible" but it does suggest that expecting rationale behaviour from him may be unreasonable.
Or it could be all three of the above. The fact that he violated the restraining order and made at least two death threats, apparently against two different people, doesn’t really scream “fully functioning frontal lobe.”

When I hear of a man who has assaulted his girlfriend, I don’t assume he’s got a major mental health or psychiatric disorder. I would guess the majority of men who are violent towards women are so called normal, functional men. No substance use disorder, no cognitive or personality disorder, just garden variety a**holes.

But someone who has assaulted his girlfriend, has access to family support and good legal advice, and still violates a restraining order? And in this case, does so while knowing the police AND the media are watching him? Most people would know doing something like that is asking for a world of trouble.

Same with the threats. If it’s one time, ok, plenty of people, especially when they’re young, will shoot their mouths off when they’re angry, like Marius apparently did the night of the first reported incident (“I’m going to kill him” or something like that). But if it’s happened more than once, especially if the second threat occurred after the police had started investigating him, that’s much more problematic.

It’s always worrisome when you have someone who’s capable of violent acts and who may not have much ability to consider his actions and think logically. I don’t know what the right answer is here, other than this case moving forward as quickly as possible.
 
Why would Marius even record the conversation? Surely he trust the police, if he is innocent.
And was that recording open? I.e. he placed his phone on the table for the police officers to see? Or did he hide it?
Why did he even record the conversation?
- I'd say that normal law-abiding Norwegians don't think about recording the conversation, if the police wants to talk to them. That smells like something he has learned from someone.

I find it very likely that the recording (I'm sure it was on Marius phone) was copied along with all other content on the phone. Whether that was done by the police or the security police is an open question. The police (both branches) would be very interested to study photos, notes, text messages, money transfers, GPS trackers and the phone-log.
In my opinion, trusting the police is not good as long as there are parties who leak conversation to the press. Could have learned that from his stepfather Haakon! As soon as something in the Royal environment smells of scandal, it best to take care. I guess Mette Marit could tell one story or another of the intrusion of privacy before she was married.That is another problem at the base of this: I don't think Mette Marit trust the press (or the police). That's how Marius was raised. And in the Royal environment it was surely noticed how the public opinion led by the press was going down since the announcement of Märtha Louise's wedding. Nerves were probably blank. Not that this excuses Marius, but it surely can explain why the Royals did not react thus far.
 
In my opinion, trusting the police is not good as long as there are parties who leak conversation to the press. Could have learned that from his stepfather Haakon! As soon as something in the Royal environment smells of scandal, it best to take care. I guess Mette Marit could tell one story or another of the intrusion of privacy before she was married.That is another problem at the base of this: I don't think Mette Marit trust the press (or the police). That's how Marius was raised. And in the Royal environment it was surely noticed how the public opinion led by the press was going down since the announcement of Märtha Louise's wedding. Nerves were probably blank. Not that this excuses Marius, but it surely can explain why the Royals did not react thus far.
Or he could have called an attorney. Or even more likely, his mother or Haakon. That IMO would be a more likely gut reaction. You are after all not obliged to speak with the police, just because they show up at your door.
Regardless. It's all pretty weird.
 
Lawyer Mette Yvonne Larsenconfirms to VG, that the third victim, against whom Marius has the restraining order, is due for a new police interrogation this week.
This is the fifth questioning of the woman, if the immediate questioning from 4 August is included.
According to Larsen, it is primarily reading and follow-up questions that are on the agenda.
 
Gosh it does get worse and worse doesn't it. Clearly Marius is spiralling out of control (or already has). It reflects badly on MM and Haakon IMO but the time for them to talk is not now - in all honesty I don't think they should say anything until Marius is sentenced- an inevitability now IMO. Anything else would look like interfering or making excuses. But I don't think they can continue batting it away saying Marius is a private person - Ingrid isn't a private person she is a future Queen and now its inevitable people will have questions about the family in which she was raised and the ethics they raised her with.
 
Gosh it does get worse and worse doesn't it. Clearly Marius is spiralling out of control (or already has). It reflects badly on MM and Haakon IMO but the time for them to talk is not now - in all honesty I don't think they should say anything until Marius is sentenced- an inevitability now IMO. Anything else would look like interfering or making excuses. But I don't think they can continue batting it away saying Marius is a private person - Ingrid isn't a private person she is a future Queen and now its inevitable people will have questions about the family in which she was raised and the ethics they raised her with.
Do you think Norway will abolished the monarchy over this?
 
At a chronicle in Nettavisen:
- I want to be responsible for what I have done, and will explain myself truthfully to the police, Marius said in his statement a month ago.
It was well thought out, because a responsible person would have taken the police's restraining order seriously, sought professional help and cut ties with criminally charged persons.
It may seem as if Marius believes that this case will blow away as easily as the times he was in contact with the police in his younger years, but this time, unfortunately, it is serious. (..)


Se og Hør writes again about the conversation Marius had with the two polices. Did the police thwart their own investigation when they told Marius that they were monitoring his contacts with known drug dealers.
"We have seen you with actors who are interesting to us. Who we know sell drugs. And not just a little, but also in quite a big way", it is said in an audio recording. The police also emphasize that it's a big problem if Marius is involved in this and tell they have had the impression that Marius has struggled with cocaine use. And they have also had the impression that there may have been something more than just use, the polices say and Marius asks what they mean. The police say that there may have been slightly larger quantities than what is usual just for personal use. Marius strongly denies that he is involved in what the police suggest is large-scale drug dealing in his circle of friends.
(..)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Do you think Norway will abolished the monarchy over this?
IMO no.
But... this could be the point where future historians will say that the abolishment of the Norwegian monarchy began.
It depends so much on how the NRF will handle this. How much the NRF knew and closed their eyes for. And whether the NRF actively took part in covering up for Marius.
Another thing is that ML and her shaman is still around to cause more damage, if not dealt with firmly.
And even if Marius go to prison, which I think he will, if he comes out unchanged or perhaps changed for the worse (his criminal friends are unlikely to let go of him in prison) he can still cause a lot of damage, unless the NRF completely cuts him off.
For example, the NRF cannot afford to take Marius along to anything remotely official, not even Ingrid's wedding, unless he proves to be a genuinely reformed man. The question is whether the NRF are willing to take such a step.
 
The king tied his hands because clearly he is not opposed to people with criminal/questionable background in the royal family as he recently welcomed (another) one in the family. So, it's hard to argue that in other cases drugs or domestic violence are not desirable but acceptable -at least in someone's past (with (MM) or without (D) apology)- but in another case, it needs to be dealt with drastically.
 
The king tied his hands because clearly he is not opposed to people with criminal/questionable background in the royal family as he recently welcomed (another) one in the family. So, it's hard to argue that in other cases drugs or domestic violence are not desirable but acceptable -at least in someone's past (with (MM) or without (D) apology)- but in another case, it needs to be dealt with drastically.
mm got cleaned
 
IMO no.
But... this could be the point where future historians will say that the abolishment of the Norwegian monarchy began.
It depends so much on how the NRF will handle this. How much the NRF knew and closed their eyes for. And whether the NRF actively took part in covering up for Marius.
Another thing is that ML and her shaman is still around to cause more damage, if not dealt with firmly.
And even if Marius go to prison, which I think he will, if he comes out unchanged or perhaps changed for the worse (his criminal friends are unlikely to let go of him in prison) he can still cause a lot of damage, unless the NRF completely cuts him off.
For example, the NRF cannot afford to take Marius along to anything remotely official, not even Ingrid's wedding, unless he proves to be a genuinely reformed man. The question is whether the NRF are willing to take such a step.
I think Mette Marit and Haakon first need to keep their distance from Marius’s investigation and sentencing. They continue to pay for his lawyer, but that’s it. Nothing that could be seen as interfering and using their influence.

Then, once he’s sentenced, they release a statement making it clear they respect the verdict and the sentence (whatever it is), and that, while they love their son and will continue to to support him emotionally, they recognize he’s hurt a lot of people and must atone for that and commit to doing better in the future.

They’ve already made as much of a distinction as possible between Ingrid and Magnus on the one hand and Marius on the other - he’s been kept completely away from official life for many years.

They should deal with things that don’t look good and are easy enough to fix. Pay for a place for him to live that’s close to, but not on their estate, for example.

But most importantly it comes down to what Magnus and especially Ingrid are like. Ingrid seems to be on a very good path so far, and she’ll be the star of the NRF once she starts doing regular public engagements. She’ll then be an effective counterweight to Marius. If Magnus also stays likeable and responsible, even better.
 
The absolutely last thing the Norwegian RF should do right now imo is speaking to the media about this… Because at the moment they do not have any control at all over the situation here, and with the rapid speed new things comes to daylight in this case, anything Haakon for example would tell media today - can easily be turned against him tomorrow when something new about Marius has been unearthed…. And if you respond to one journalist, you will have to respond to all the others as well…. Therefore it is imo best for the Norwegian RF to remain as silent as possible and let the law system take it’s turn…

And had i been Crown Princess Mette-Marit, i would have taken a long hiatus from public life until this has been properly dealt with by all the instances that will have to deal with it…. I have very mixed feelings (to put it mildly) about her being out and about doing royal engagements, smiling and interacting as if nothing has happened…. Meeting diplomats, greeting children, and inagurate things would be the absolutely last thing on my mind right now if i was her…
 
So, it's hard to argue that in other cases drugs or domestic violence are not desirable but acceptable -at least in someone's past (with (MM) or without (D) apology)- but in another case, it needs to be dealt with drastically.
Neither MM nor Verrett has crossed the Norwegian legal system.

Marius has not only done so in a very serious manner, he doesn’t appear to be recognizing how serious it is. Dead silence from the NRF while the police continue to work, not statements of support and family.

I would say it’s a very easy distinction to make.

I have very mixed feelings (to put it mildly) about her being out and about doing royal engagements, smiling and interacting as if nothing has happened…. Meeting diplomats, greeting children, and inagurate things would be the absolutely last thing on my mind right now if i was her…
That’s understandable, but there’s really no benefit to anyone or anything if she’s on her knees 24 hours a day tearing her hair about Marius instead. She’s not the one being investigated, this must be horrendous for her (she’s not pleased or happy just because she’s working), and her health is fragile enough as is. So let her do what she can for the moment.

Furthermore, why have the problem solely with her and not Haakon?
 
Last edited:
Do you think Norway will abolished the monarchy over this?
I hope not and it seems Harald is still largely respected despite all the trials and tribulations going on in the NRF at the moment.

I do think it dents the idea of Harald needing to abdicate - if he does so it puts Haakon in an even trickier position. This problem is better dealt with when its the stepson to the heir, not the King's stepson IMO (though in reality it probably makes little difference).

I agree that in time it may become seen as a turning point in the decline of the NRF. It has made me hugely question Haakon and MM's suitability to be Sovereigns - it doesn't of course all fall on them but they seem to be rather laid back parents with too much acceptance of poor behaviour and definitely a too relaxed attitude to drug use. In that regard sadly MM's own past doesn't help. If this was, say, Matilde and Philippe of Belgium people might see it different as they don't have their own tricky past with criminals and drugs. Which also underlines the fact that, this was for a while not hugely an issue for MM and Haakon - all parents suffer ups and downs with their children and may people sympathise with that and seeing them try to handle a child who has lost their way. BUT they have made a number of questionable choices it seems - allowing him to mix with the wrong crowd but continuing to provide a house and it would seem funding for his lifestyle, all with no consequences when he has gone awry. So it now becomes a question not only of Marius' behaviour but of Haakon and MM's judgement, which is an issue for them whatever happens to Marius.
 
I think Mette Marit and Haakon first need to keep their distance from Marius’s investigation and sentencing. They continue to pay for his lawyer, but that’s it. Nothing that could be seen as interfering and using their influence.

Then, once he’s sentenced, they release a statement making it clear they respect the verdict and the sentence (whatever it is), and that, while they love their son and will continue to to support him emotionally, they recognize he’s hurt a lot of people and must atone for that and commit to doing better in the future.

They’ve already made as much of a distinction as possible between Ingrid and Magnus on the one hand and Marius on the other - he’s been kept completely away from official life for many years.

They should deal with things that don’t look good and are easy enough to fix. Pay for a place for him to live that’s close to, but not on their estate, for example.

But most importantly it comes down to what Magnus and especially Ingrid are like. Ingrid seems to be on a very good path so far, and she’ll be the star of the NRF once she starts doing regular public engagements. She’ll then be an effective counterweight to Marius. If Magnus also stays likeable and responsible, even better.
agreed
 
My apologies , I meant to add that after reading the article , Marius is not specifically named , only that a false name was used . It may be a "friend" trying some intimidation tactics . Until Marius is named , I will therefore reserve judgement .
 
Marius destroyed parts of the apartment his ex-girlfriend rented. When she was due to move out the following week as planned, the entire deposit was withheld by her landlord because the damage hadn't been repaired. The craftsmen had to paint, plaster walls and repair damaged surfaces and a chandelier was destroyed.
The woman's lawyer Mette Yvonne Larsen says that Marius promised to settle the damages and hadn't done that yesterday. The woman is in a financial situation where she needs her money.
The woman lived for months with Marius in his Skaugum house and wanted her personal belongings back from there. A dialogue has been attempted over several weeks to achieve this, without luck, says Larsen. She contacted the Palace on Friday and on Saturday the items had been taken out from Skaugum.
Marius' lawyer Øyvind Bratlien says Marius wants to make amends financially, he asked Larsen for documents of the claim, but they hadn't received that. Instead, Larsen tried various shortcuts, including putting unreasonable pressure on Marius by contacting the Palace. Bratlien received the documentation yesterday, the claim was reviewed today and Marius accepted it.
 
I hope not and it seems Harald is still largely respected despite all the trials and tribulations going on in the NRF at the moment.

I do think it dents the idea of Harald needing to abdicate - if he does so it puts Haakon in an even trickier position. This problem is better dealt with when its the stepson to the heir, not the King's stepson IMO (though in reality it probably makes little difference).
This would be the very worst time for the king to abdicate.
He is held in affection by his people, and largely unscathed by the criticism, unlike Haakon.
I think the NRF will weather this, provided they don't invoke special privileges and make things worse.
 
Marius destroyed parts of the apartment his ex-girlfriend rented. When she was due to move out the following week as planned, the entire deposit was withheld by her landlord because the damage hadn't been repaired. The craftsmen had to paint, plaster walls and repair damaged surfaces and a chandelier was destroyed.
The woman's lawyer Mette Yvonne Larsen says that Marius promised to settle the damages and hadn't done that yesterday. The woman is in a financial situation where she needs her money.
The woman lived for months with Marius in his Skaugum house and wanted her personal belongings back from there. A dialogue has been attempted over several weeks to achieve this, without luck, says Larsen. She contacted the Palace on Friday and on Saturday the items had been taken out from Skaugum.
Marius' lawyer Øyvind Bratlien says Marius wants to make amends financially, he asked Larsen for documents of the claim, but they hadn't received that. Instead, Larsen tried various shortcuts, including putting unreasonable pressure on Marius by contacting the Palace. Bratlien received the documentation yesterday, the claim was reviewed today and Marius accepted it.
meaning his mother and stepfather will bail him out I guess.
 
Lawyer Øyvind Bratlien complains still of Marius' arrest. One alleged call from a hidden number, and no information about the call. He therefore believes it never gives grounds for arrest. There must be many and repeated violations that have been committed or that the person in question seeks out the victim in a frightening way. Even then, arrest is a long way off.
Criminal law researcher and professor at the Police Academy Morten Holmbo says that a restraining order will be violated even if the protected person doesn't answer the phone. Attempts will also be punishable. In order to arrest someone for this, there must be reasonable grounds to suspect a violation of the restraining order. This means that the prosecution considers it more likely than the opposite that he has broken the restraining order at least once.
Dagbladet asked the police why it took four days from the arrest decision until Marius was arrested. Police prosecutor Andreas Kruszewski says that the police don't want to go into details related to it. But he states that the prosecution is very confident in the decision to arrest.
The police don't want to answer whether anyone is suspected or charged after the seizures made at the cabin.
 
His lawyer clearly doesn't use the 'keep low' technique but instead goes on the attack. Not sure that that is the best approach in a case like this in general and definitely not given that his client is the step-son of the next king.
 
TV 2 has a photo of the house Marius lives in Skaugum:
Pic
On Tuesday 10 September at 15:00, the police decided that Marius should be arrested again. The reason was that according to the police he had contacted his ex-girlfriend by calling her with a hidden number. Nevertheless, it took three days before he was arrested on Friday evening at a cabin at Skeikampen.
According to TV 2's information, the Oslo police kept Marius under surveillance in the days before the arrest. He had been followed for several days, TV 2 is told.
(..)

More in Se og Hør about the recorded conversation Marius had with the two polices.
In an clip, it emerges that Marius isn't too worried about whether the information the police tell becomes public knowledge. Marius tells the police that he has a secret agreement about what the press can write about him - and what not.
When the police urge Marius to stop his dealings with drugs, because this is something he could be caught for, Marius says according to the audio clip:
- But then, they are not allowed to write about it. It's an agreement. So there is nothing to think about. No, no. So I'm not worried about that. That is not the problem.
(..)

Here's an interesting chronicle, among other things in it:
Marius Høiby's lawyer Øyvind Bratlien represents often heavy criminals and is someone who occasionally and often advises to remain silent.
Anyone who has nothing to hide has everything to gain by cooperating well with the police.
Høiby himself should understand that.
As the son of our future queen, we expected him to be raised to explain himself honestly and openly. That he would positively meet all the police's needs for questioning and information about the case. That he would make himself available as soon as possible. Lawyer Bratlien should have advised him to do so.
But instead, Høiby did not want to explain himself for days, following the advice of his defender.
In a month and a half, only one questioning of him has taken place.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
When the police urge Marius to stop his dealings with drugs, because this is something he could be caught for, Marius says according to the audio clip:
- But then, they are not allowed to write about it. It's an agreement. So there is nothing to think about. No, no. So I'm not worried about that. That is not the problem.


Well any possibly sympathy for his proclaimed mental health issues and personality disorder just went out the door after reading that. Marius sounds like a privilege entitled jerk. He knows that he enjoys a certain level of protection and is just using that to throw his weight around (physically too).

Also I'm wondering if this is how justice moves in Norway? At a snail's pace? How is it that after physical damage to property, multiple domestic violent assaults(attempted murder imo), threatening to kill people over the phone, and violating a restraining order Marius is allowed to party overseas and go hunting (assault rifles and drugs were found) and is only questioned once while his victims are being questioned multiple times?
Is it that the legal system is afraid of how the court case(s) is going to impact the royal family and public perception of them?
 
When the police urge Marius to stop his dealings with drugs, because this is something he could be caught for, Marius says according to the audio clip:
- But then, they are not allowed to write about it. It's an agreement. So there is nothing to think about. No, no. So I'm not worried about that. That is not the problem.


Well any possibly sympathy for his proclaimed mental health issues and personality disorder just went out the door after reading that. Marius sounds like a privilege entitled jerk. He knows that he enjoys a certain level of protection and is just using that to throw his weight around (physically too).

Also I'm wondering if this is how justice moves in Norway? At a snail's pace? How is it that after physical damage to property, multiple domestic violent assaults(attempted murder imo), threatening to kill people over the phone, and violating a restraining order Marius is allowed to party overseas and go hunting (assault rifles and drugs were found) and is only questioned once while his victims are being questioned multiple times?
Is it that the legal system is afraid of how the court case(s) is going to impact the royal family and public perception of them?
Wow, just wow. It's an agreement between the press and who? Who set it up so drug abuse gets covered up? I suppose the air is getting thinner by the hour for the NRF.
 
VG's responsible editor Gard Steiro is clear that he has no idea what Marius is referring to in the conversation.
- There are no agreements about publicity in VG, and I am not aware of any contact with Marius Borg Høiby or people in his circle that could be interpreted as any such agreement. There has been very little contact at all.
Dagbladet's responsible editor Frode Hansen writes in an SMS: We have no agreement, and I do not know what he is possibly referring to.
Se og Hør's editor-in-chief Ulf André Andersen also rejects any such agreement:
- Se og Hør has never entered into an agreement with the royal house. Until now, we have considered Marius' drug problems as private. Now he is charged with criminal offences, which changes the situation completely.

The ex-girlfriend of Marius demanded around NOK 30,000 for the damage to the apartment and the consequences it had for her. Marius' lawyer Øyvind Bratlien says Marius has accepted the demand for around NOK 30,000.
 
Last edited:
More in Se og Hør about the recorded conversation Marius had with the two polices.
In an clip, it emerges that Marius isn't too worried about whether the information the police tell becomes public knowledge. Marius tells the police that he has a secret agreement about what the press can write about him - and what not.
When the police urge Marius to stop his dealings with drugs, because this is something he could be caught for, Marius says according to the audio clip:
- But then, they are not allowed to write about it. It's an agreement. So there is nothing to think about. No, no. So I'm not worried about that. That is not the problem.
(..)
Just checking on what they're saying here: Are they telling him to stop taking drugs or was he dealing (selling) drugs?
 
Well, in confirms my suspicion that Marius isn't the sharpest tool in the box. Whatever he has been told about the press, he obviously only understood a little part of it.
But... Unfortunately he does have a point. The Norwegian press has IMO been extraordinary reluctant about writing about his antics, which they knew about. Editors have admitted that and also admitted that they refrained from writing about Marius drug-problems out of respect for his privacy. (You know, the laws on privacy can be very strict in Continental Europe.) And perhaps also very much out of a (misunderstood) consideration of King Harald - and perhaps also to maintain the idyllic image of the NRF, and as such of Norway...
Because by any normal definition of the role of the press I dare say that the son of the next queen having drug-problems and associating with known hardened criminals is a matter so serious that it should be reported on. The Norwegian press IMO failed. So while Marius may have misunderstood the reasons, he does have a point; the press, until now, has remained silent. Also admitted by an editor who said that it only became an issue for the press when Marius committed a serious crime, i.e. domestic abuse.
Or, and that is pretty disturbing. Was the Norwegian press somehow pressured into remaining silent? The major Norwegian papers and magazines are owned by a few publishing houses. The public service network NRK is ultimately controlled by the politicians and the establishment and as for the commercial TV2 network, well they are to a considerable extent dependent on advertising. And the bigger the advertiser, the bigger influence that advertiser has. That's an old and often debated problem.
In that light is it possible that a number of stories about Marius were quietly pulled off due to "influence" from a network higher up.
- Personally I don't think so. I think it's more a question of tribal mentality and tribal pride. That is: It is in the interest of the tribe to present as positive an image of the tribe as possible. Even if it means glossing over things.

Another thing. It's interesting that it took three days for the police to finally pull themselves together to arrest Marius.
However, considering that they tailed him for several days the thought that pops up in my mind is that the police waited in the hope of being able to nail Marius for even more. Him being with his criminal friends in a hunting lodge may have seemed like a good opportunity to really get him.
I suspect that many within the police harbor a deep resentment against Marius, and by extension perhaps even members of the NRF.
Because when you read Marius reply about the press not being able to write about his antics, to me that suggests that he has gotten away with something at least once before. Otherwise, apart form him not being a rocket-scientist, his confidence must come from something.
In that light I can very well imagine that police officers, perhaps several times have been "persuaded" not to go on with something, or have had to let him go despite a clear transgression, or been forced to ignore blatant transgressions. Very likely having been at least verbally humiliated as well by Marius and friends.
It is difficult to imagine anything much more frustrating by the police, especially as Marius comes from the foremost family in Norway. A family that should lead by example, not least in regards to crime and dealing with the police.

Apart from that the police does take their sweet time in questioning Marius! You can't blame them for rushing things, that's for sure!

In any case, I think this is only the beginning. The lid is coming off and I think we will see more examples of Marius misbehavior in the near future. And also more about who knew and who did what...

Any consideration the Norwegian press had in regards to the NRF is now totally out the window. Marius remarks about a press-agreement made sure of that. The press won't risk being accused of shielding the NRF any more.
It's been a terrible 1½ month for the NRF, the rest of the year is going to be a lot worse!
An article in the Danish press today, apparently based on conversations with Norwegian colleagues, suggests that the next thing will be questions about what values Haakon and Mette Marit in particular instills in their children and how suited they may be as the next reigning couple. You may read about in BT.dk today. (I won't post a link, because this is after all foreign comments on the situation in the NRF, and as such may be off topic - for the time being.)
 
Back
Top Bottom