In 2017, Mette-Marit wrote an open letter about Marius to the press. Now, seven years later, Se og Hør's editor-in-chief Ulf André Andersen writes a letter to her son. Andersen believes Marius deserves unconditional imprisonment. It's an interesting letter to read with Google translator.
Some things about the letter:
We left you alone, and although rumors of a debauched party life reached us more and more often, we thought okay. We did just as your mother wanted. Today we see the result. It is not certain that full freedom was the best.
I don't know if your friends have given life-wise advice or if you have all laughed boyishly and mockingly at both the offended, interrogation, restraining order, weapons, drugs and arrest. But I hope the seriousness has sunk in.
(..)
I 2017 skrev kronprinsesse Mette-Marit et åpent brev om Marius til pressen. Nå, syv år senere, skriver Se og Hørs Ulf André Andersen brev til hennes sønn.
www.seher.no
I agree wholeheartedly with this open letter by the editor. Especially the part where he admits the press failed, by ignoring rumors and reports about Marius behavior. - IMO had they written earlier about Marius, that might have helped getting him back on track.
Sentenced by the public opinion? I have no doubt that Marius is on a very wrong path, I also think that he deserves to be judged like any other citizen in that situation. The only reason all this is making such a scandal is that he’s the step son of Haakon. A position he didn’t chose.
Sentenced by the public opinion? - No, sentenced by himself. The public opinion can only react to what they have been told and what they see (sometimes in person, for those who frequent the night life in Oslo).
The picture Marius has managed to paint of himself ain't pretty, to put it mildly! He hasn't even bothered to try and improve that painting by showing something approaching a semblance of remorse, by going into rehab ASAP, by taking personal responsibility, by keeping low. - It's only about now he has been finally persuaded (I dare say) to go into rehab. Fat chance he'll do more than the bare minimum.
As the editor basically said, Marius lawyer is used to defending people who already have a shady reputation and for whom the main purpose is to get of as lightly as possible and reputation be damned. Other lawyers may have been just as concerned about Marius reputation, because after all Marius is, officially, a first-time offender. (Apart from the fine for possession of drugs for personal use, I.e. a very small amount.) In such a case reputation really
does matter.
No, Marius did not chose the life he got. No one has.
But Marius enjoyed the perks of that life, without the responsibilities and without the public scrutiny that Ingrid and Magnus get. He had the opportunity for the best education, regardless of field, that Norway can provide. He lived a luxurious life, that most can only dream of. He was loved, that's for certain. The NRF have many faults but they are obviously very much a loving close-knit family. He did not need to work for a living, still don't. He did not need to pay rent (or he simply would not be able to pay the rent for his very generous home at Skaugum.)
Marius has never been in want of anything - except - discipline.
He was failed in the respect and he has never learned it by himself.
Unfortunately Marius has never been allowed to grow as a person. He has never been allowed to overcome. He has never been allowed to accomplish. - It very much appears that he has always been excused, always been told it isn't his fault.
The best thing for Marius IMO would have been six months on a school ship when he was 16-20 years old. Because there is no entitlement on a yardarm 30 meters above deck in the middle of the Atlantic. Instead up there he would have grown and found discipline, self-respect and pride in himself as well as empathy for others. Accomplishment.
