Marius Borg, accused of rape: the intrigues of Norway's 'bad prince'

The Norwegian monarchy is once again at the center of controversy. Not only because of the wedding of Princess Marta Luisa and her now husband, shaman Duke Verrett, but also because of the  new arrest of Marius Borg, son of Princess Mette Marit. 

This Tuesday, Norwegian media outlets reported on the events. The police added new charges to the file of the 27-year-old. According to the official statement issued by the Norwegian police, "the charges against Marius Borg Høiby have been expanded."

One of them is "having sexual relations with someone who is unconscious or who for other reasons can't oppose the act." It should be noted that in Norway, rape is punishable by 10 years in prison. But what is behind this new arrest?

Marius Borg, arrested for rape

This Monday, Marius Borg was in the car with one of his ex-girlfriends when he was arrested. The authorities arrested the young man near Skaugum, the official residence of Norway's crown princes. 

According to a police statement, "the accusation focuses on an alleged rape under article 291, section b, of the Penal Code, which refers to sexual relations with people unable to resist the act due to being unconscious or for other reasons."

The judicial investigation is ongoing. "The authorities have not yet decided whether Marius should remain in pretrial detention while evidence and testimonies are being collected." 

The young man has been arrested after a 20-year-old woman accused him of an alleged rape. But, as his lawyer Øyvind Bratlien stated, the young woman was not part of Marius's inner circle. They did not know each other personally either.

The attorney revealed that his client "pleads not guilty to all charges and is fully cooperating with the police to clarify the facts."

The Norwegian royal house has issued a statement that "refers all inquiries to the official statements of the police and Borg Høiby's lawyers."

The scandals of the "bad prince" of the Norwegian royalty

This past summer, the son of Princess Mette Marit once again sparked controversy. Haakon of Norway's stepson was arrested after allegedly verbally and physically assaulting a 20-year-old woman. 

The events took place during the early morning of August 2 in Oslo. The firstborn of the future queen of the Norwegians was involved in a brutal fight in his ex-girlfriend's apartment. The victim was taken to a hospital in the Norwegian capital. 

According to the authorities, the young woman suffered a severe concussion. Marius remained for thirty hours in an isolation cell at an Oslo police station. 

Unlike his siblings, princes Sverre Magnus and Ingrid Alexandra, Marius has not stopped being involved in scandals. This has positioned him as the "rebellious member" of the Nordic monarchy. 

Just a few months ago, the young man was criticized for posting a picture on Instagram. In it, he was seen driving at excessive speed.

Although the bond with the Norwegian royal family is close, the young man's absence from various official events has raised suspicions. One of the most recent was the birthday of the heirs to the throne. The monarchy would not look favorably on the controversial profile that Princess Mette Marit's son has adopted. 

Another controversy surrounding the young man is his extensive romantic history. His latest conquest has been young Rebecca Helberg. Although the relationship seemed solid, the deletion of their photos together on Instagram has raised suspicions.

Before Rebecca, there were others, such as model Juliane Snekkestad and reality show contestant Love IslandNora Haukland. In fact, this past September, the authorities imposed on the young man a restraining order against an ex-girlfriend that Marius did not respect. On September 15, the police arrested the young man for violating that order.

He has also been accused of domestic abuse against two of his ex-girlfriends.

The young man's behavior has recalled the controversial past of his father, Morten Borg. Mette Marit's ex-partner had various problems with the law and served time in prison for a drug trafficking offense. 

After this summer's arrest, the young man issued a statement in which he admitted to having problems with alcohol and other drugs. He also suffers from mental health issues. "Alcohol abuse and my diagnoses do not excuse what happened," Borg stated.

Loves, controversies, and a "royal" adolescence, but what is the story of Marius Borg?

The "rebel prince" of the Norwegian royalty

On January 13, 1997, little Marius Borg Høiby was born. He is the result of the relationship between a young Norwegian woman named Mette Marit and the controversial Morten Borg. His parents broke up before he was born, and Mette Marit took on the role of "single mother." 

For the young woman, her firstborn was her priority. She emphasized this when she began her relationship with Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway, heir to the throne. They met at a rock festival. 

For the son of Queen Sonia, his partner's motherhood was not a problem. Unlike much of the Norwegian public and media, who did not accept that Mette Marit would become crown princess. 

The press carried out media harassment against the young woman, but the couple fought against all odds. Finally, they celebrated their wedding on August 25, 2001. At the ceremony, Marius showed the good feeling he had with Prince Haakon. 

Since then, the young man has been just another member of the Norwegian court. Kings Harald and Sonia treated him like another grandson.

Marius has an exclusive educational background, forged at the prestigious Asker and Solvag schools. He enrolled at Wang School in Oslo.

In these institutions, he enjoyed both sports and music, two of his favorite disciplines that he also shares with the crown prince. The young man completed his studies with a degree in finance in California. He also studied design in Milan, but the truth is that he still has not found his path to start his professional career. 

As for his personal life, the young man has had several romances with young Norwegian women. From a "playboy girl" to a reality show contestant.

It is said that Marius is a big fan of Oslo's nightlife. He also enjoys surfing, skateboarding, and motorcycling. With his siblings, princes Ingrid and Severre of Norway, he keeps an excellent relationship.

Just like with his mother, his stepfather, and his father, whom he sees regularly. He also likes to travel, and this past summer he gave in to the hectic pace of the island of Ibiza. 

He doesn't officially hold the title of royal highness. But he has received nicknames such as the "Nordic sex symbol" or the "bad prince" of the Norwegian court.

Now he adds yet another scandal.