OSLO, Norway (AP) — In her first public discussion about the controversial connection, Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit revealed she felt manipulated and unsafe during interactions with deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, particularly during a 2013 visit to his Florida estate in Palm Beach.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit, wife of Crown Prince Haakon who is next in line for Norway’s throne, participated in a 20-minute television interview Thursday with Norwegian network NRK alongside her husband. The interview took place on the same day her son Marius Borg Høiby’s criminal trial wrapped up.
Høiby, the crown princess’s child from an earlier relationship, faces rape charges that he has denied. Prosecutors are requesting a sentence of seven years and seven months imprisonment. The court’s decision is anticipated in early June.
While Thursday’s NRK broadcast didn’t reveal any shocking new information, it represented the royal couple’s first formal media appearance to discuss the controversy surrounding the crown princess’s connection to Epstein. Although her association with him has prompted criticism of her decision-making, she faces no criminal allegations.
The interview’s duration was shortened because of Mette-Marit’s medical condition — she suffers from pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease that severely impacts breathing.
The crown princess had previously issued an apology for placing the royal family in a difficult position. Her initial meeting with the American financier occurred in 2011, with their communication extending through 2014. Documents related to Epstein referenced the crown princess hundreds of times, and she expressed regret about their association in 2019.
Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while facing trial for sexually abusing minors at his U.S. residences. Speaking to NRK, Mette-Marit stated she was unaware of his criminal behavior and abuse, noting she only observed his interactions with adults and never saw illegal activity.
During the interview, she expressed feelings of responsibility toward Epstein’s victims and revealed she has spent years reflecting on their connection and the accusations against him. She acknowledged failing to properly investigate his background.
Released documents containing email correspondence between the pair suggested what appeared to be a close friendship to some observers. In one electronic message, Mette-Marit told Epstein, “you tickle my brain.”
During October 2012, Epstein mentioned in an email that he was in Paris “on my wife hunt.” The crown princess responded that Paris was “good for adultery” but “Scandis” made “better wife material.”
Additional email exchanges revealed that Mette-Marit used an Epstein-owned Florida property in Palm Beach for several days in 2013. She explained the arrangement came through a shared acquaintance, and it was during this stay that she experienced the troubling encounter that prompted her to telephone Haakon back in Norway.
Though she refused to provide additional details during the NRK interview, she explained that she maintained contact with Epstein afterward because she was naive and had fallen victim to his manipulation.
