Norway's Crown Princess Embroiled in Fresh Controversy Over Jeffrey Epstein Correspondence

Norway’s Crown Princess Mette‑Marit has been thrust into a fresh controversy after her name appeared repeatedly in newly released Jeffrey Epstein documents. Documents released in January by the US Department of Justice as part of the Epstein Files Transparency Act included hundreds of emails between Mette‑Marit and Epstein from 2011 to 2014. In one exchange from 2012, Epstein wrote that he was on a “wife hunt,” saying “Paris is proving interesting but I prefer Scandinavians,” to which the Norwegian royal responded that Paris was “good for adultery” and that “Scandis [are] better wife material.” The correspondence, which also included messages in which Mette‑Marit referred to Epstein as “sweetheart,” “soft hearted,” and “very charming”, has dominated media coverage in Norway, as per reports. The files also showed that the princess stayed several days in 2013 at a Palm Beach property owned by Epstein, arranged through a mutual acquaintance, according to Norwegian broadcaster NRK. Her name appeared nearly 1,000 times in the recently released emails. Mette‑Marit has publicly responded to the revelations with multiple apologies, admitting she showed “poor judgment” in maintaining contact with Epstein. “Some of the content of the messages between Epstein and me does not represent the person I want to be. I also apologise for the situation that I have put the Royal Family in, especially the King and Queen,” her statement read. She also expressed “deep sympathy and solidarity” with Epstein’s victims, People reported. The controversy has spurred political and public scrutiny in Norway, with critics questioning whether Mette‑Marit should ascend to the throne. Polls show declining public support for her becoming queen, with a significant portion of the population now opposed, according to TV2. The revelations come as the princess is already coping with ongoing legal troubles involving her 29-year-old son Marius Borg Høiby. Høiby faces 38 charges, including the rape of four women and assaults on former partners, and could be jailed for up to 16 years.