A court sketch showed the son of Norway's crown princess on the first day of his trial on Tuesday (February 3) as he pleaded not guilty to rape and domestic violence but admitted to some lesser charges in a case that has shaken the already embattled royal family.

Marius Borg Hoiby, 29, son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit and stepson to Crown Prince Haakon, could face multiple years in prison if found guilty of the most serious of the 38 charges against him.

The case is the most serious crisis to hit the Norwegian royal family in peacetime, historian Trond Noren Isaksen said in the run-up to the hearing, though Hoiby does not have a royal title and is outside the line of succession.

The son of Norway's crown princess pleaded not guilty to rape and domestic violence but admitted to some lesser charges on the first day of his trial on Tuesday (February 3), a case that has shaken the already embattled royal family.

Marius Borg Hoiby, 29, son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit and stepson to Crown Prince Haakon, could face multiple years in prison if found guilty of the most serious of the 38 charges against him.

The start of the trial comes days after Hoiby's mother apologised for her "poor judgment" for maintaining contacts with the late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after he was convicted of child sex crimes in 2008.

On Tuesday, Hoiby pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape and one of domestic violence.

He pleaded guilty to one count of offensive sexual behaviour, driving too fast and driving without a valid license, among other charges.

He also said he was partially guilty - a plea allowed under Norwegian law - of aggravated assault and reckless behaviour.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

OSLO, NORWAY (FEBRUARY 3, 2026) (NTB - No use Norway / No archive / No resale) (MUTE)

1. VARIOUS STILL PHOTOGRAPHS OF COURT SKETCH SHOWING MARIUS BORG HOIBY, SON OF NORWAY'S CROWN PRINCESS, DURING FIRST DAY OF TRIAL AGAINST HIM

ASKER, NORWAY (FILE - DECEMBER 25, 2017)(TV2 - No use Norway, no use Russia)

1. VARIOUS OF MARIUS BORG HOIBY ATTENDING THE CHRISTMAS EVEN SERVICE AT ASKER CHURCH WITH CROWN PRINCE HAAKON AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY

OSLO, NORWAY (FILE - APRIL 22, 2016)(TV2 - No use Norway, no use Russia)

2. HOIBY CELEBRATING AHEAD OF HIS GRADUATION FROM HIGH SCHOOL

OSLO, NORWAY (FILE - JANUARY 16, 2016)(TV2 - No use Norway, no use Russia)

3. HOIBY JUMPING A SKI JUMP IN FRONT OF THE ROYAL PALACE

4. VARIOUS OF HOIBY NEAR TO A CAR