Norway’s Princess Mette-Marit has found herself at the center of a new scandal after her name appeared more than 1,000 times in millions of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, which were released last week.
The scandal comes as her eldest son, born before her marriage to Norway’s Prince Haakon, is set to appear in court today on a number of charges, including rape.
The Norwegian media published the messages exchanged between the princess and the American sex offender Epstein, in the period from 2011 to 2014.
Asked about the scandal, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said he agreed with the assessment that Mette-Marit had shown poor judgement.
Learning that Mette-Marit had such intense contact with Epstein shocked many, but the content of their correspondence further deepened the scandal.
In one of the most shocking emails, the princess asks Epstein if it was inappropriate for a mother to suggest two nude women carrying a surfboard as her 15-year-old son’s screen wallpaper.
In another message, in response to Epstein’s statement that he is “looking for a wife” in Paris, Mette-Marit states that the French capital is “good for adultery” and that “Scandinavian women are better marriage material.”
In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to pimping a minor into prostitution. Despite this, the Norwegian princess spent four days in his house in Florida in 2013.
Defending her relationship with Epstein, the 52-year-old princess said she took responsibility for not checking Epstein’s background more thoroughly and for not realizing quickly enough what kind of person he was.
– I showed poor judgment and I deeply regret any contact with Epstein. It is simply shameful – she stated in a statement that the royal palace provided to the AFP news agency.
The revelation of the close relationship with Epstein comes on top of the legal problems facing the princess’ son, which has added to the pressure on Mette-Marit. A Norwegian newspaper even questioned whether she would be able to become queen after all.
Her son Marius Borg Hoiby was charged in August last year with 38 counts, including rape, intimate partner violence, physical assault, transporting 3.5 kg of marijuana and death threats.
He denied most of the allegations.
The prosecution is seeking ten years in prison for 29-year-old Hoiby, and the trial should last until mid-March.
Hoiby is the son of a princess from a previous relationship and has no official title or royal duties. However, the whole case cast a shadow on the otherwise very popular Norwegian royal family, the BBC reports.
(Vijesti.ba / FENA)
