Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit has expressed regret over her past contacts with the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, telling public broadcaster NRK that she felt “manipulated and deceived.” She said she wishes she had never met him and that she chose to end contact once she understood the situation better.
The Crown Princess — wife of Crown Prince Haakon, the heir to the Norwegian throne — said she never witnessed illegal behavior during her interactions with Epstein. She told NRK Epstein took advantage of a mutual acquaintance and her tendency to trust people, saying she is “gullible” and likes to assume the best about others.
Her comments come after the release of documents from the US Justice Department, part of the so-called “Epstein files,” which show Mette-Marit exchanged emails with Epstein from 2011 to 2014 and stayed at his Palm Beach residence for four days in 2014. Mette-Marit previously apologized in 2019; the newly released files also include a 2011 email in which she said she had googled Epstein and it “didn’t look too good,” followed by a smiley face. She told NRK she does not recall why she wrote that message.
Jeffrey Epstein was convicted in 2008 of soliciting prostitution from a minor and served 13 months in jail. He died in August 2018 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges; his death was officially ruled a suicide.
The disclosures have widened beyond the royal household. Several prominent Norwegians have been linked to Epstein, prompting Norway’s parliament to call for an inquiry into the foreign ministry’s contacts with him. Police are also investigating former Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland on suspicion of aggravated corruption related to his dealings with Epstein.
In the interview, Mette-Marit also addressed the legal troubles of her 29-year-old son, Marius Borg Høiby. He faces four rape charges — prosecutors allege some victims were unconscious — and has also been accused of domestic violence, reckless driving and drug-related offenses. The Crown Princess described supporting a young man going through a very difficult period.
Mette-Marit has previously been open about her health challenges. The Royal Court said in December that her chronic lung condition had worsened, a development she has discussed publicly as part of her broader health struggle.