Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit. File
| Picture Credit score: Reuters
Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit stated on Friday (March 20, 2026) she regretted her friendship with the late intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein, looking for to include one among the largest scandals to hit the nation’s royal household.
The U.S. Justice Division’s launch of hundreds of thousands of Epstein paperwork has despatched shockwaves all over the world, revealing the disgraced financier’s ties to outstanding individuals, together with the crown princess and high Norwegian politicians, enterprise executives and diplomats.
“I used to be manipulated and deceived,” Mette Marit stated in an interview with public broadcaster NRK. “In fact, I want I had by no means met him [Epstein],” she stated. The information confirmed frequent communication between Mette Marit and Epstein that occurred lengthy after he pleaded responsible in 2008 to soliciting an underage lady.
The 52-year-old crown princess, who apologised to King Harald and Queen Sonja in a February 6 assertion, has not been accused of any felony wrongdoing. Whereas earlier media protection had proven that Mette Marit had hyperlinks to Epstein, the brand new paperwork confirmed a extra intensive relationship, triggering an uncommon rebuke by the Prime Minister and resulting in calls for that she ought to give a full account.
The princess, the partner of Crown Prince Haakon, the inheritor to the throne, maintained contact with Epstein from 2011 to 2014, and stayed at his Palm Seashore home for 4 days throughout a personal journey in 2013, the U.S. information present.
“I’ve by no means seen something unlawful,” Mette-Marit informed NRK on Friday (March 20). The royal household’s reputation has taken successful in current months, a February survey of 1,009 respondents confirmed.
Some 60% of Norwegians supported the monarchy, down from 70% in January, in keeping with the Norstat ballot revealed on February 21 by public broadcaster NRK, whereas 27% supported a republic, up from 19% over the identical interval.
Printed – March 20, 2026 12:47 pm IST