Norway’s crown princess to address Epstein ties in rare NRK interview

The Norwegian public broadcaster NRK has conducted an interview with Crown Princess Mette-Marit at Skaugum estate, with the program set to air Friday, Dagbladet reports. The interview will focus on her controversial ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to the royal palace.

NRK’s news editor Sofie Gran Aspunvik confirmed the interview took place Thursday but declined to comment further on unpublished material. “We are working intensively in the newsroom to finalise this and will use the evening and night to prepare for broad publication,” she told Dagbladet.

Multiple sources have told Dagbladet that the interview was conducted by Dagsrevyen anchor Petter Oulie-Hauge, a veteran journalist who previously hosted NRK’s foreign affairs program Urix and led election night broadcasts. Oulie-Hauge has not responded to requests for comment.

The royal palace’s communications director, Guri Varpe, confirmed to Dagbladet that the interview concerns “the Epstein case—that is the whole point.” She added that both Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit participated, though the palace has not responded to whether they will address further media inquiries.

The interview follows months of scrutiny after January’s revelations that Mette-Marit had “extensive contact” with Epstein, far beyond what was previously known. While the princess has issued limited statements, she has not provided a detailed account of the relationship.

Political commentator Sigrid Hvidsten called the situation an “extraordinary crisis” for the crown princess, arguing that public trust in the monarchy has been “simply destroyed.” She told Dagbladet that Mette-Marit must now offer a “detailed and truthful explanation” to rebuild confidence, warning that “if she doesn’t tell everything, the questions will linger forever.”

The interview comes as pressure mounts for transparency. Earlier Thursday, Dagbladet photographers observed palace press officers leaving Skaugum estate at 13:44, hours before news of the NRK interview broke.