Norway’s crown princess faces pressure to answer detailed questions on Epstein ties

Norwegian royal officials confirmed on Thursday that Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Haakon sat for an interview with public broadcaster NRK, where she is expected to address her relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in unprecedented detail, Dagbladet reports.

Commentators say the interview is a critical test for the monarchy’s credibility, with calls for full transparency after newly released documents revealed deeper ties to Epstein than previously acknowledged.

“She must answer every question and share every detail,” said Dagbladet commentator Sigrid Hvidsten, arguing that the crown princess’s earlier statements have failed to restore public trust. “If she knew something she should have acted on, or if she faced improper pressure that put the monarchy at risk, she will come out of this badly.”

The interview follows weeks of mounting pressure after court records unsealed in January showed Mette-Marit had more extensive contact with Epstein than she had admitted. Norwegian media, including Dagbladet, submitted multiple unanswered questions to the royal court about the nature of their relationship, her knowledge of his crimes, and why she severed contact in 2013 after staying at his Florida villa.

Key unanswered questions include:
– How close was their relationship, and what did she know about his history of abuse?
– Did Epstein disclose his criminal past to her, and what did she believe?
– Did she meet any of his accusers or ignore opportunities to intervene?
– What services did he provide her, and did she reciprocate in any way?
– Why did she describe her 2011 online search of his name as revealing “nothing good”—and what exactly did she find?

Hvidsten called Epstein a “manipulative genius” who likely tried to entangle the crown princess in his network, but stressed that “alarms should have gone off much earlier” for both Mette-Marit and the institutions advising her.

Tove Taalesen, a royal commentator for Nettavisen and former court staffer, criticized the delay in addressing the scandal. “We’ve waited at least six weeks too long,” she said, adding that the prolonged silence has “damaged trust in the crown princess, the royal couple, and even the monarchy itself.” Taalesen urged Mette-Marit to “be fully transparent and honest to end the speculation.”

The interview comes as the crown princess’s stepson, Marius Borg Høiby, concluded a separate criminal trial in Oslo this week. Mette-Marit has withdrawn from several public duties in recent months, citing health issues, including a worsening lung condition she discussed in a December NRK interview.

The royal court has not responded to requests for comment on whether it will address outstanding media questions after the NRK interview airs.