Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit addressed her relationship with the late Jeffrey Epstein in a recent interview, stating she was manipulated and deceived. She recounted feeling unsafe during a 2013 encounter at his Florida mansion, arranged through a mutual friend. The Crown Princess acknowledged she did not thoroughly research Epstein’s background and expressed regret for the friendship, calling it one of the biggest scandals to hit the royal family.
Mette-Marit stated she was unaware of Epstein’s history as a sex offender, despite evidence suggesting she Googled him in 2011, three years after his conviction. Email exchanges revealed a frequent communication that continued long after his guilty plea. In one message, she wrote to Epstein, “you tickle my brain.” She also expressed a sense of guilt for Epstein’s victims and took responsibility for her lack of due diligence.
The interview occurred as the criminal trial of Mette-Marit’s son, Marius Borg Høiby, concluded, with a verdict expected in early June. The Crown Princess, who has pulmonary fibrosis, previously apologized for the situation she put the royal family in, and reiterated her regret for having contact with Epstein. She explained she continued the relationship because she was gullible and had been manipulated.