Recent events have cast a shadow over the Norway Royal Family, plunging the monarchy into what some experts are calling its most significant crisis since the nation’s independence in 1905. The troubles began at the end of the summer and have escalated, shaking the public’s perception of the Norwegian royals.
Norway Royal Family members, including King Harald V, Queen Sonja, Crown Prince Haakon, and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, at a public event in Oslo. The family faces a period of crisis due to recent scandals involving Princess Märtha Louise and Marius Borg Hoiby.
The initial shockwave hit in August when Marius Borg Hoiby, the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit, was arrested on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend. This news alone was unsettling, but it was followed by further controversy surrounding Princess Märtha Louise, the eldest daughter of King Harald V and Queen Sonja. Her marriage to Durek Verrett, an American self-proclaimed shaman with a controversial public image, ignited public debate and scrutiny.
However, the situation took a far darker turn with the re-arrest of Marius Borg Hoiby in November. The 27-year-old was taken into custody on November 18th and subsequently released on Wednesday, November 27th, facing extremely serious accusations. He is now formally accused of two counts of rape, with one of the alleged incidents reportedly documented in a video discovered by police on his mobile phone.
These scandals have prompted serious discussions about the state of the Norwegian monarchy. Caroline Vagle, a reporter for the magazine Se og Hør, stated that this is “the biggest crisis [the monarchy has experienced] since 1905 and the country’s independence.” Ole-Jorgen Schulsrud-Hansen, a commentator for TV2, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the inherent vulnerability of a monarchy: “It’s the other side of the coin when you have a family at the head of the state. Anything that affects the family affects the institution, and vice versa.” The unfolding situation continues to be closely watched as the Norway Royal Family navigates these turbulent times.
