Norwegian crown prince's stepson denies rape videos as trial begins

The son of Norway's crown princess denied on Wednesday that videos on his phone showed acts of rape, as he broke down during his first day of testimony in his trial for rape and domestic violence, a case that has shaken the embattled royal family.

Marius Borg Hoiby, 29, who joined the royal family when his mother Mette-Marit married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001, said his upbringing in the public eye since he was a toddler had led him to crave drink and sex.

He could face years in prison if found guilty of the most serious of the 38 charges against him.

On Tuesday, the first day of his trial, he pleaded not guilty to the most serious charges of rape and domestic violence but acknowledged partial guilt, a plea allowed under Norwegian law, for aggravated assault and reckless behaviour.

He also admitted to lesser charges, including driving too fast.

The trial has transfixed Norway at a time when his mother, the crown princess, also faces fresh scrutiny over revelations about her ties to the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Hoiby says few can understand his life

Breaking down in tears, Hoiby said it was hard to testify in a courtroom packed with reporters.

"I have been surrounded by the press since I was three. I have been harassed ever since," he said. He said he had received "heavy medication" and would try to do his best in court.

"I am known as the son of Mummy," he said, referring to Mette-Marit. "Which means I have an extreme need for affirmation," he said. "A lot of sex, a lot of alcohol."

"Few can relate to the life I have led. A lot of parties, alcohol, some drugs," he said.

Wearing jeans and a dark blue jumper over a beige shirt, Hoiby, who spoke with his arms crossed over his chest, sometimes consulted his handwritten notes in a notebook.

Among the charges against Hoiby are one count of rape with sexual intercourse and three counts of rape without intercourse, some of which he filmed on his telephone, the prosecution has said.

He said he had never shared the videos and denied they depicted rape.

"If I had thought I had material that showed an assault, I would never have kept that material," he said.

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Source: TRT