OSLO, NORWAY — The Norwegian monarchy, long regarded as one of the most stable and “normal” royal houses in Europe, is facing a generational crisis of credibility.
On Friday, Crown Princess Mette-Marit issued a second, far more personal apology within a week, expressing “deep regret” for her years of contact with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The statement, released by the Royal Palace in Oslo, follows the unsealing of thousands of U.S. Department of Justice documents that revealed the 52-year-old princess had far more extensive and “warm” ties to Epstein than she previously admitted.
“It is important for me to apologize to all of you whom I have disappointed,” the Crown Princess said. “Some of the content of the messages between Epstein and me does not represent the person I want to be. I also apologize for the situation I have put the Royal Family in, especially the King and Queen.”
The ‘Google’ Smoking Gun
The most damaging revelation within the “Epstein Files” is a 2011 email in which Mette-Marit admitted to searching for Epstein’s history online—three years after his first conviction for soliciting a minor.
“Googled u after last email,” she wrote in October 2011. “Agree it didn’t look too good : ).”
Despite this acknowledgment, the correspondence continued for another three years. The files, which mention the princess over 1,000 times, paint a picture of a close, informal friendship:
- The Palm Beach Stay: In 2013, Mette-Marit borrowed Epstein’s Florida estate for several days.
- The ‘Wife Hunt’: In 2012, when Epstein told her he was in Paris looking for a wife, she jokingly replied that the French capital was “good for adultery” and suggested “Scandis are better wife material.”
- The Wallpaper Query: In another message, she asked Epstein if it was “inappropriate” for a mother to suggest a photo of two naked women carrying a surfboard as a digital wallpaper for her then-15-year-old son.
A Monarchy Under Siege
The Epstein scandal has struck at an exceptionally vulnerable time for the House of Glücksburg. This week, the Crown Princess’s eldest son, Marius Borg Høiby, 29, went on trial in Oslo facing 38 criminal charges, including the rape of four women and multiple counts of assault.
While Høiby does not hold a royal title, his legal battles and the Crown Princess’s newly exposed ties to a global sex trafficker have cratered public support. A poll released this week showed that for the first time, nearly half of Norwegians believe Mette-Marit should not become queen when her husband, Crown Prince Haakon, eventually ascends the throne.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre added to the pressure on Friday, agreeing with the public sentiment that the princess’s past actions represented “poor judgment” and suggesting that further explanations of the “extent of the contact” are necessary.
The ‘Silent’ Crown Princess
Despite the apology, the palace noted that Mette-Marit is currently “unable” to provide a full, detailed explanation. Officials cited a “very demanding situation” and the princess’s ongoing struggle with chronic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable lung disease that may eventually require a transplant.
Her husband, Crown Prince Haakon, stood by her on the sidelines of an official visit on Friday, telling reporters his primary focus was “taking care of the flock” during a difficult time for his family. He confirmed that while his wife wants to speak more fully, he has advised her to wait until she is physically and mentally able to “gather her thoughts.”
As the trial of Marius Borg Høiby continues in Oslo and the ghost of Jeffrey Epstein haunts the halls of Skaugum, the Norwegian people are left with a haunting question: Can an apology suffice for a future queen who joked with a predator while the world was watching him?