The arrest of Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Norway’s crown princess, on suspicion of rape has sent shockwaves through Europe’s royal circles and given fresh ammunition to British republicans. Høiby, 27, was detained on Monday in Oslo, just hours before a verdict was due in a separate rape trial. He denies the allegations.
For years, the British monarchy has faced growing scrutiny over its relevance and cost, but the Norwegian scandal has added a new dimension: the role of royal privilege in shielding powerful families from justice. The case has prompted a surge in online petitions calling for an elected head of state, and MPs from across the political spectrum have begun to question the institution’s future.
“We are seeing a pattern across Europe: royal families that claim to be above the law, or at least above the kind of public accountability that normal citizens face,” said Dr. Eleanor Croft, a constitutional historian at the University of Manchester. “This case in Norway, combined with previous scandals in Britain, is eroding the moral authority of monarchy.”
In Britain, the crown has weathered scandals before: from the abdication crisis to the death of Diana, and more recently, the Epstein associations of Prince Andrew. But the Norwegian case strikes a chord because it involves a young man, born outside wedlock but given royal patronage, who faces charges of sexual violence. It echoes the struggles of working-class communities who feel the law bends for the wealthy.
Maria Thompson, a care worker from Leeds, said: “It’s disgusting. You see these rich kids getting away with everything. If he were a normal lad from our estate, he’d be in a cell and no one would bat an eyelid. It makes you think: why do we bow down to these people?”
Republican campaign groups have been quick to amplify the story. “Every time a royal is arrested, our membership rises,” said Graham Smith, chief executive of Republic, the UK’s leading anti-monarchy group. “People see the unfairness. They see that being born into privilege means you are treated differently. This is not a system for the 21st century.”
Smith pointed out that the cost of the monarchy is also a key issue. “While we are talking about hospital waiting lists and council tax hikes, we are still paying for this institution. And now we see it allows a man accused of rape to walk free for years. It’s a disgrace.”
However, monarchists argue that the Norwegian case is a mark of the system working: “He was arrested, he will face justice. That is because Norway is a functioning democracy with an independent judiciary,” said Sir James Holt, a royal commentator. “The monarchy is separate from the law. In fact, it symbolises the constitutional framework that ensures the rule of law.”
But the symbolism is complicated. Høiby is not a working royal but his mother, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has sought to protect her family’s privacy. That has left a vacuum for republicans to fill.
For the British public, already weary of cost of living pressures, the royal family’s image as a unifying force is fraying. A 2023 YouGov poll found that support for the monarchy had fallen to 60 per cent, its lowest level in decades. The Norwegian scandal may accelerate that decline.
“This is not just about one case,” said Professor Croft. “It’s about the perception of fairness. In an age of inequality, people expect their institutions to be accountable. The monarchy stands as the ultimate symbol of inherited privilege, and that is becoming harder to defend.”
As Norway prepares for a verdict that could see the crown prince’s stepson jailed, the echoes in Britain are loud. Republicans see their moment. The question is whether the crown can weather yet another storm, or whether this marks the beginning of the end for the world’s most famous monarchy.
