The son of Norway's crown princess has pleaded not guilty to rape and domestic violence, but admitted to lesser charges on the first day of his trial, a case that has shaken the already embattled royal family.
Marius Borg Hoiby, son of Mette-Marit and stepson to Crown Prince Haakon, could face multiple years in prison if found guilty of the most serious of the 38 counts against him.
The proceedings come days after the 29-year-old's mother apologised for her "poor judgement" in maintaining contacts with the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after he was convicted in 2008.
Hoiby pleaded not guilty to four rape charges and one of domestic violence.
He admitted one count of offensive sexual behaviour, driving too fast, and driving without a valid licence, among other charges.
Holby also said he was partially guilty - a plea allowed under Norwegian law - of aggravated assault and reckless behaviour.
Lead prosecutor Sturla Henriksboe said that he would be treated like any other Norwegian.
"He will not be handled tougher or milder because he is part of this family," Mr Henriksboe said in his opening statement to the court in Oslo.
In response, Hoiby's lawyer said her client's treatment had been anything but fair.
"The press coverage - which defendant sees 10,000 press articles written about him? ... He has experienced books being written about him, and more are coming," Ellen Holager Andenaes told the court.
"Our client has absolutely not received normal treatment. He has not received any positive treatment."
Crown Prince Haakon said in a statement that he and his wife were not planning to attend the court proceedings.
"We love him. He is an important part of our family. He is a Norwegian citizen, so he has the same responsibilities as everyone else, as well as the same rights," he added.
Crown Prince Haakon also expressed sympathy for the alleged victims, saying: "We think about them. We know many are going through a difficult time".
The case is the most serious crisis to hit the Norwegian royal family in peacetime, historian Trond Noren Isaksen said in the run-up to the hearing, though Hoiby does not have a royal title and is outside the line of succession.
Norway's parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of maintaining the monarchy, rejecting a proposed change to a republic after a long-planned debate.
But an opinion poll conducted for daily newspaper Verdens Gang showed a fall in the number of Norwegians favouring keeping the monarchy - to 61% from 72% last year - and a 10% rise to 27% in support for a republic.
King Harld has faced a series of other travails and scandals in recent years.
The 88-year-old, Europe's oldest living monarch, cut back activity in 2024 after being hospitalised to treat an infection and later receiving a pacemaker.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit needs a lung transplant after being diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018.
King Harald's daughter, Martha Louise, stepped down from official royal duties in 2022 to allow her to pursue her own business ventures.
She said that she and her husband, an American self-styled shaman, would refrain from using her title as princess in a commercial setting.
They were both criticised last year for starring in a Netflix documentary chronicling their daily lives.
The case is the most serious crisis to hit the Norwegian royal family in peacetime, according to historian Trond Noren Isaksen, though Mr Hoiby does not have a royal title and is outside the line of succession.
The start of the trial also comes days after his mother Crown Princess Mette-Marit apologised for her "poor judgement" for maintaining contacts with the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after he was convicted of child sex crimes in 2008.
Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit are not planning to attend court proceedings, Prince Haakon said in a statement, adding he trusted the justice system to be fair and proper.
About Mr Hoiby, the Crown Prince said: "We love him. He is an important part of our family. He is a Norwegian citizen, so he has the same responsibilities as everyone else, as well as the same rights."
He expressed sympathy for the alleged victims. "We think about them, we know many are going through a difficult time," he said.
The Nordic country is a constitutional monarchy in which the king is the formal head of state while political power rests with parliament and the government.
Some 70% of Norwegians support the monarchy as an institution, according to a Norstat poll for public broadcaster NRK conducted in January among 1,030 people and published on Friday. Only 19% want another form of government.
