Mette-Marit's son Marius has confessed to physically attacking and injuring his girlfriend. What does this mean for the reputation of Norway's Crown Princess?
Marius Borg Høiby was arrested for around 24 hours earlier this month after he attacked a woman in an Oslo apartment. The 27-year-old has now admitted his guilt in a written statement.
His mother, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has so far remained silent about the allegations against her son. However, ARD royal family expert Leontine Countess von Schmettow believes that Marius Borg Høiby's statement was not made without the help of his famous mother. The 50-year-old also benefits from the statement.
In an interview with t-online, Leontine Countess von Schmettow explains: “She has not officially commented, but I am sure that Marius' statement, which he allegedly wrote himself, also comes from Mette-Marit.” The journalist continues: “Mette-Marit had postponed her trip to the Olympic Games in Paris and stayed with her son in Norway. I am convinced that there were long discussions between her and Marius and that this resulted in his statement.”
In that statement, Marius speaks openly about “several mental illnesses” and his drug abuse. “The way he deals with it honestly is very reminiscent of his mother, who also publicly expressed remorse and admitted her mistakes. The Norwegians gave her a lot of credit for that. Mette-Marit is now an extremely popular member of the royal family,” says Leontine Countess von Schmettow.
During a press conference in 2001, Crown Prince Haakon's fiancée spoke openly about her excessive past: “I lived a very extravagant life. Unfortunately, I cannot start my life over again and I have paid dearly for my experiences. I distance myself from drugs.” Mette-Marit continues to approach problems in this way to this day. She does not hide her chronic illness, pulmonary fibrosis, and speaks openly about it. This transparency makes her credible and now very popular with the people. “She certainly had a positive influence on her son in this matter,” says Leontine Countess von Schmettow, referring to Marius Borg Høiby's most recent statement.
The ARD royal family expert does not see a serious threat to the Crown Princess's reputation as a result of her son's scandal: “Of course it brings back memories of the fact that Mette-Marit also experimented with drugs at the time. It may raise the question: is history repeating itself? But I do not believe that Norwegians will now hold Mette-Marit partly responsible for this in retrospect.”
Caroline Vagle, a royal expert for the Norwegian newspaper “Se og Hør”, shares this view. She told t-online: “This is a very serious matter and concerns not only Mette-Marit, but the entire crown.” Even though Marius is not officially a member of the royal family, he is a threat to their image: “Such scandals and the controversy surrounding Princess Märtha Louise and her controversial fiancé Durek Verrett undoubtedly overshadow the work of the royal family. In the long run, there is a risk that Norwegians will lose trust in the royal family.”
Caroline Vagle therefore advises the Crown Princess to go on the offensive. “Mette-Marit has campaigned against violence against women in the past. This task may be more unpleasant for her in the future, as we now know about her son's violent excesses towards his girlfriend. However, her commitment to this issue is now all the more important.” Because her actions serve as role models, she can send a decisive message to Norwegians with an authentic appearance: “In this way, Mette-Marit would show that serious problems can arise even in the most respected family and that dealing with them honestly is important.”
In addition to violence against women, the Crown Princess has long been committed to a more conscious approach to mental health problems. Since 2001, she has been patron of the Norwegian Mental Health Council. The scandal surrounding her son may be challenging, but it is certainly also an opportunity.
