– It is a serious matter, and we are concerned that everyone involved gets good help and support, that they have good people around them, says the crown prince. – This is a case that is now in the court system, which the police are handling. That way, all parties are heard, which is good. And then I have great confidence that they do it in an orderly, professional and fair way in both the police and the judicial system. When asked whether the police have been in contact with the crown prince couple in connection with this case, the crown prince replies: – Not directly. But I ask for your understanding that we cannot say much about the matter. If you have any questions about the case, I will probably have to pass it on to the lawyer. Photo: Silje Katrine Robinson / NTB – We are very close to Crown Prince Haakon is in Stavanger to open the oil and energy fair conference ONS (Offshore Northern Seas). It happens at a time when there is a storm around the royal family. On Friday, it became known that the police have expanded the charges against Marius Borg Høiby. He is now charged with bodily harm, damage and threats and is being investigated for several matters. – Did the charge and the arrest come as a surprise to the crown prince couple? – I cannot say anything directly about the matter. I ask for your understanding that it is better for the lawyer to answer all questions about the case, says Crown Prince Haakon. In a public written statement earlier this month, Høiby himself admitted to the use of violence in alcohol and cocaine intoxication. Then he also said that he has several mental disorders, and that he has struggled with substance abuse for a long time. – Can the crown prince say something about what the crown prince couple have known and done to handle that situation? – We are very close. So we have known about what Marius has told us and have known about some of these problem complexes, but I do not want to go into the details of that, says Crown Prince Haakon. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB Confirms diplomatic passport It is already known that Crown Princess Mette-Marit has had contact with the offended woman to whom Høiby has admitted physical abuse. The Crown Prince will not go into detail about this contact. – We have confirmed that contact has taken place, but I do not want to go into detail on that further, he says. After the charge against Høiby became known, two other ex-boyfriends have also accused him of violence. Both have the status of offended, and their cases are being investigated as violence in close relationships. – Did the crown prince know about the accusations from the two exes? – All questions about the case, I ask for your understanding that we cannot go into it. You must take that with the lawyer, says the crown prince. The Crown Prince confirms that Marius Borg Høiby has a diplomatic passport. – Since he was small, he has had both an ordinary passport and a diplomatic passport. Facts about diplomatic passports: Employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs receive diplomatic passports when they work abroad as a seconded diplomat. So do special envoys from other ministries who serve as seconded diplomats. As a general rule, employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also have a diplomatic passport when they work in Oslo, and use it when they are on a business trip abroad. Persons traveling on assignment for the Norwegian authorities can obtain diplomatic passports according to need and application. You must be a Norwegian citizen to obtain a Norwegian diplomatic passport. Diplomatic passports do not confer diplomatic immunity. Only diplomats posted from one country to another get it. Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sold the princess wedding: – A time to talk further about the agreement between the princess and the royal house In three days Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett’s wedding celebration will begin. The couple will be married outdoors at Vinjevollen in Geiranger next Saturday, but the celebration will already begin on Thursday with a “get-to-know-you party”. It has caused strong reactions that the princess, who is number four in the line of succession to the Norwegian throne, has sold the rights to the wedding to the British celebrity magazine Hello Magazine. According to what news is informed, the TV rights are linked to Netflix. All other press are excluded from the wedding and parties. – What does the crown prince think that the rights have been sold? – I think that now it is a wedding, and we are looking forward to that. At the same time, we have an agreement which we of course assume will be followed, and then there is a time for us to talk about it further, says the crown prince. Photo: Astri Husø / news In 2019, the princess and the royal house came to the conclusion that she should not use the princess title in commercial activities, after she had been criticized for just that. In 2022, it became clear that Princess Märtha Louise will no longer represent the royal house. In an agreement with the royal house, guidelines were also laid down for how the princess and Durek Verrett can operate commercially. – Have Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett stuck to that agreement when they have now entered into an exclusive agreement with Hello? – Now it’s the wedding first, and we’re looking forward to it. Now we will implement it. It will be nice. And then there is also a time to talk further about the agreement, and how we handle it, the crown prince replies. The king and the rest of the royal family have refused to pose for photos where Hello Magazine has paid for exclusive access. – We are aware that exclusive rights have been granted to two media for the coverage of the wedding of Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett, communications manager Guri Varpe at Slottet told news last week. – The members of the Royal Household have reserved themselves from being photographed and filmed by these two media, in those cases where the press otherwise does not have access. Photo: PhotoRunner AS / Frank Evensen Far fewer Norwegians support the monarchy: – Clearly such cases have an impact. A recent opinion poll conducted by Norstat for news shows that nearly four out of ten Norwegians have a more negative view of the monarchy. Most of them justify it with Princess Märtha Louise, Durek Verrett and/or Marius Borg Høiby. – It is clear that such matters have an impact on how people think. At the same time, the monarchy debate is something we follow, but I think it is better that it is up to others to comment, says Crown Prince Haakon. At the same time that many Norwegians have acquired a more negative view of the royal house, support for the monarchy as a form of government is falling. When King Harald and Queen Sonja were praised for being “good enough to be king and queen” when they turned 80 in 2017, the monarchy had 81 percent of the Norwegian people behind them. Now 68 percent say they support the monarchy. Published 26/08/2024, at 10.24 Updated 26.08.2024, at 10.51
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– Did you know what Marius told us – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
