It seems as unlikely that future generations will witness the fall of the Monarchy in Norway and its replacement by a Republic as it is for all the ice in Greenland to melt in a short period of time, exposing the minerals coveted by Trump. The public support for the institution in this Scandinavian country is the highest among the 10 reigning Crowns in Europe. 73% of Norwegians support the Throne, according to the most recent polls from earlier this year. A remarkable figure, especially considering that the Norwegian royal family has experienced an annus horribilis due to the investigation into the crown princess consort's son, which she brought into the marriage with the Heir, Haakon, when they married in August 2001.
Marius Borg is now on trial in Oslo facing up to 38 charges for various crimes, including rape, abuse, and drug trafficking. The scandal surrounding him is shaking the foundations of the Norwegian Monarchy. Despite this, recent polls indicate that the people are willing to overlook and differentiate between the institution and the dissolute life of a black sheep too embedded in it, largely due to the high esteem in which King Harald (88 years old) is held, whose popularity, consistently around 85% for decades, makes him one of the most recognized heads of state in the democratic world by his people. Many observers see the recent scandals as the reason why the sovereign resists abdicating, unlike many other monarchs in recent years, despite his delicate health. Harald knows he remains a fundamental pillar for the Throne's support.
However, Norwegians themselves seem to be losing their blind trust in their dynasty. Therefore, only 30% believe that the crown princess consort could be a good queen, according to a late last year opinion poll. Citizens are deeply upset by what they perceive as erratic behavior from Mette-Marit since the scandal involving her eldest son erupted, believing that she dangerously prioritized her motherly feelings over her responsibilities as a high representative of the Crown, even being accused of possible interference in the investigation and allowing her son to continue benefiting from advantages and assets of the Royal House while under investigation.
Connection with the pedophile businessman
Misfortunes never come alone, as the saying goes. If Mette-Marit's image wasn't damaged enough, and with it the future of the Throne, Norway is now reeling from the impact of revelations about Prince Haakon's wife and her friendship with pedophile businessman Jeffrey Epstein from the millions of declassified documents released by the US Department of Justice on Friday. The princess appears in hundreds of files. In 2019, she had to admit to having had contact with the financier following initial reports by the newspaper DN. However, the flood of messages exchanged, now revealed, shows that Mette-Marit did not honestly acknowledge the true extent of her friendship with Epstein, which was much more intense than previously thought.
The crown princess and Epstein met on numerous occasions, both in the US and in Oslo, and maintained a very close communication between 2011 and at least 2014. The dates themselves are scandalous because the businessman was under investigation for various sexual crimes against minors since 2005 when he met the future Norwegian queen. His reputation was already tarnished. Yet, they seemed to get along remarkably well. In one of the now leaked conversations, there was discussion about her potentially spending the night at a Palm Beach (Florida) residence owned by the financier. The Oslo Palace confirmed this weekend to NRK that the princess used that residence for four days, accompanied by a friend, although it was arranged through an Epstein associate and not directly with him.
Apparently, Mette-Marit and Epstein's friendship began in January 2011. One of the attendees at the World Economic Forum, Boris Nikolic, a consultant for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, coincided with the princess in Switzerland. A month and a half later, Nikolic wrote to Epstein asking if he would be in New York in March because "a friend" was planning to visit him. "She's not your typical royal, she's twisted," he said - according to the declassified documents - along with a Google search about her: Mette-Marit.
The exchanged messages between the princess and the magnate reveal intimate details: he expressed concern for her health, while she tried to find him a partner. In one email, the princess even said: "Paris is good for adultery". In another, he referred to the works of Nabokov, the author of Lolita: "Now I see why you like these books."
The documents also mention Marius Borg, who was a minor at the time. In one message, the princess asked Epstein if it was inappropriate to suggest "two naked women carrying a surfboard" as a wallpaper for her son. The magnate's response was blunt: "Let him decide. A mother should stay out of it."
"I must take responsibility for not investigating Epstein's background better and for not realizing quickly enough the kind of person he was. I am ashamed," stated Mette-Marit, currently in the eye of the storm, to TV2.
It seems that these apologies will not be enough to mitigate the deep reputational crisis facing Mette-Marit. Major Norwegian media outlets like Aftenposten, the second-largest national newspaper, opened their web edition yesterday with a full-screen headline posing the same question that all Norwegians are asking at this moment, and that is causing great concern at the Royal Palace in Oslo: "Can Mette-Marit become queen after this?".
The crisis management team of the Norwegian Royal House is overwhelmed. Last week, with the imminent trial of Marius Borg, for which up to 200 journalists have been accredited, Prince Haakon made public statements as a firewall, reminding that his stepson "is not part of the Royal House and, in this sense, is free". "We love him, of course. He is an integral part of our family," he added, emphasizing that Borg should be judged like any other citizen, while also demanding respect for his presumed innocence.
While Borg, despite being raised as another son of the future king, never held titles or institutional responsibilities, the situation is quite different for his mother, and therefore much more concerning from a political perspective. Mette-Marit is expected to be the future queen consort. However, it seems that there are not many subjects left who view this favorably.
"Wisdom, maximum openness, and hard work are required from the Palace if the royal family wants to emerge unscathed from the current crisis. There may be even more information about the crown princess Mette-Marit and her close relationship with Epstein in the coming days and weeks. From what we already know, things look bad. The crown princess has a lot to explain, both to the public and perhaps also to those close to her," concluded a damning article by Hanne Skartveit in the newspaper VG. Yes, things look bad indeed.