It is the first time in the history of the Norwegian monarchy that a member of the royal family has been produced for remand in a Norwegian courtroom. Nevertheless. Author and historian Tor Bomann-Larsen believes that it will not have any consequences for the monarchy as a form of government. – It affects a very peripheral member of the royal family. He is a member of the Borg family and the Høiby family, and to that extent of the Norwegian royal family. But it does not affect the state government. It works perfectly independently of Høiby, he says to news. The Crown Prince’s stepson Marius Borg Høiby was arrested on 4 August after a violent incident at Frogner. Since then, the charge has been expanded to include violence in close relationships against his then girlfriend, as well as two ex-girlfriends. On Tuesday, the police stated that Høiby is also charged with threats against a man, violation of a restraining order and rape of a woman he has not previously known. When the prison meeting was over on Wednesday, the police could say that Høiby has been charged with yet another rape. He is detained for a week. If the burden on those involved is too great, Bomann-Larsen says the case affects both the aggrieved and the accused, in addition to their families. However, he believes that it has any further consequences for the royal family is heresy. Tor Bomann-Larsen has written several biographies of Norwegian royalty. Photo: Geirr Larsen / news – No one in the royal family is a party to the case. On the human level, it is clear that it affects both members of the royal house and people far away from it. but to make it a matter of the monarchy is to place too great a burden on the actors, including those aggrieved in the case. Since the case became known, both the national and international press have been on the chopping block. Words such as “scandal” and “crisis” have been used by several experts and commentators. Bomann-Larsen believes this is a media creation: – As long as the press hammers this in all the time, people will eventually believe that this is the monarchy’s fateful hour. It isn’t. Politician and former employee of King Harald’s staff, Carl-Erik Grimstad (V), largely agrees that the “crisis” for the royal house is media-created. – As an institution, the royal house is so strong in Norway that more is needed to topple it. – As far as support for the monarchy is concerned, I don’t think it has any great significance. Although many demand greater transparency, this has been handled in a sensible way. One must not forget that the family is under enormous pressure, and there are few people who do not feel sorry for them and what they are now going through, he tells news. If anyone is affected, he believes it could be the royal family themselves, who see the kind of exposure one of their loved ones has received in recent months. – It will probably make people think about whether it is worth it to stand in that storm. What is the personal load. Most people would probably like to be a few miles away. Carl-Erik Grimstad is a politician in the Liberal Party and has a background in the staff of King Harald. Photo: Philip Hofgaard / news Mette-Marit’s role important Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s role in the case has also had the spotlight directed at her. The Crown Princess has been in contact with several of the victims in the case, and is said to have notified Høiby that he would be arrested. If her role turns out to be significant for the case, Grimstad believes that it could “begin to slow down” for the royal house. – It has completely different implications. Then we have to do with an interpretation of the constitution, and it can quickly become a political issue. If there is politics involved, we have a different situation than today, where this is primarily about celebrity journalism. Judge Anne-Lene Åvangen Hødnebø decided that Marius Borg Høiby can be kept in custody for up to a week. Photo: Javad Parsa / NTB District court judge Anne-Lene Åvangen Hødnebø decided that a member of the royal family could be held in custody for up to a week. Whether the position of the monarchy is in danger or not, Hødnebø treats this as any other prison meeting. District court judge Ragnar Lindefjeld tells news. – Even though this is a case of great public interest about a person with close ties to the royal family, the judge will treat this as a normal prison meeting, says Lindefjeld. Lindefjeld speaks on a general basis as a member of the judges’ media group, and has nothing to do with the imprisonment petition. – Relates to it like all other cases In a detention meeting, the judge must decide whether the police have good enough evidence to imprison the person presented, and whether there is reason to keep him or her in prison. – There can typically be a risk of escape, a risk of repetition or a risk of the accused tampering with evidence, says Lindefjeld. He explains that the accused will be given the opportunity to explain himself about the case. – If they oppose imprisonment, we must assess the explanation against the law’s conditions for imprisonment and the evidence the prosecution has against them. We are well used to making that assessment, and it comes up in many imprisonment cases. The district court judge says Oslo District Court constantly has cases of great public interest. The preparation for a prison meeting where you know that the press and the public will probably show up is basically no different to anything else, he says. – You have to take that into account, and think through possible questions from the press, for example about closed doors. Apart from that, it is the judge’s job to deal with this as in all other cases. Published 21.11.2024, at 20.55
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