
The stepson of Norway’s future King has been arrested following an alleged cocaine-fueled assault on his girlfriend. Neighbors reported hearing shouting and screaming from Rebecca Helberg Arntsen’s apartment in Oslo, and police arrested 27-year-old Marius Borg Høiby the following day. He had fled the scene, but police tracked him down to the Royal estate of Skaugum on the outskirts of the capital city. The victim’s neighbors told reporters that they did not know Arntsen well and were shocked to learn that a member of the Royal family was involved in the incident.
Arntsen’s attorney, Mette Yvonne Larsen, has refused to release details of her client’s injuries other than to say she has been under “medical supervision.” Mr. Høiby subsequently issued a statement taking responsibility for the attack. He said he was “intoxicated with cocaine and alcohol” and assaulted his girlfriend in the midst of an “argument.” He apologized to Ms. Arntsen and his family, while his attorney stated that he has “several mental disorders” and has “struggled with substance abuse for a long time.”
Høiby is the son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who is married to Crown Prince Haakon, the heir to the Norwegian Crown. He stepped away from the Royal family some years ago and later found work as a mechanic. Having been held in detention for 30 hours by police, Høiby was charged with criminal damage and causing bodily harm – he has pleaded not guilty to both.
Juliane Snekkestad, his ex-girlfriend, has since released a statement on social media saying he subjected her to “psychological and physical violence” during their relationship.
The Norwegian Royal family is one of Europe’s oldest and dates back around 1,000 years. The current Monarch is King Harald V, who is married to Queen Sonja and has two children, Crown Prince Haakon, and Princess Martha Louise. Haakon married Mette-Marit in 2001, and they have two children. Marius Borg is Mette-Marit’s son from a previous marriage. He was two years old when his mother married into the Royal family.