The Norwegian monarchy is in crisis. Not because the future queen is seriously ill, or even because her son was recently convicted of serious crimes, but because the institution’s greatest strength—public trust—has been worn down by a series of avoidable mistakes.
Yesterday, it was announced that Norway’s crown princess, Mette-Marit, had a successful lung transplant after reports that her pulmonary fibrosis had worsened dramatically. The news initially brought an outpouring of sympathy and even a rise in organ donor registrations. Without jumping the queue, she was matched with a compatible set of lungs less than two weeks after being placed on the waiting list.
But the other two issues have drawn a very different public reaction. First, there’s the case of her son, Marius Borg Høiby. As a child, he stood on the palace balcony with the royal family, waving at the 30,000 children marching by on Norway’s Constitution Day. This year, he’s been on trial, accused of 40 offenses, including rape, threats, and bodily harm. On Monday, Høiby was convicted of 34 of the 40 charges in the original indictment, including domestic abuse and two counts of rape, and was sentenced to four years in prison. His lawyers immediately appealed. The palace had no comment on the outcome.
The second issue is entirely self-inflicted: Mette-Marit’s past contact with Jeffrey Epstein, and her unwillingness to fully explain it. A slow trickle of revelations shattered her initial claim of a few casual encounters. Released emails revealed what looked more like a close friendship, including visits to Epstein’s Palm Beach home, shopping trips, personal advice, and discussions of literature—including the author of Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov—as well as a now-infamous 2011 exchange where she wrote: “Googled u after last email. Agree didn’t look too good :).”
As more details came out, public pressure grew. After weeks of silence, in March the crown princess and Crown Prince Haakon gave a 20-minute interview to the public broadcaster NRK, with questions provided in advance. Mette-Marit expressed deep regret, saying she had been manipulated by Epstein, and ended contact in 2014 after realizing he was a “bad guy.”
She revealed that she had witnessed him blackmailing others, and described an incident at his Florida home that made her feel unsafe, but she didn’t go into detail. She claimed she was unaware of his sex crimes and only ever saw him around adults. She couldn’t explain the smiley face email, saying she didn’t remember it.
Her regret should be taken at face value, since everything suggests she was more of a pawn than a player in Epstein’s game. But her vague answers satisfied neither the public (68% found them insufficient) nor most commentators. Mette-Marit has not been available for more questions, and Haakon only reluctantly answered a few. The king commented that the couple had handled the issue well, saying his daughter-in-law hadn’t broken any laws.
For royals who once had a sharp sense of public opinion, that instinct seems to have left them. The institution has never been less popular, with one in three Norwegians now believing that King Harald V, 89, should be the country’s last monarch.
Norway is not a natural fit for a monarchy. It abolished nobility in its 1814 constitution, and its people are uncomfortable being anyone’s subjects, valuing equality and humility over tradition and grandeur. Still, an overwhelming majority—79%—voted for monarchy over a republic when the country split from Sweden in 1905. The government backed the monarchy, worried about the political consequences of becoming a republic in a Europe that, at the time, had very few.
But the Norwegian royals understood what was needed, and they delivered. King Haakon VII, impoOriginally from Denmark, King Haakon VII devoted himself to Norway and became a symbol of resistance during World War II. His son, King Olav V, was deeply loved—he famously rode the tram through Oslo during the 1973 oil crisis. The current monarch, King Harald, has grown to be just as popular in his own right, and Crown Prince Haakon has long been seen as an intelligent, decent man worthy of following in their footsteps.
They embraced inclusivity, defining themselves as the people’s royals. King Haakon VII once declared he was “the communists’ king, too,” and later generations have shown clear support for immigrants and LGBTQ+ citizens.
Even their choices of spouses without royal blood—like Mette-Marit, a single mother with a past of heavy partying—were admired by most. By putting love over tradition, the monarchy seemed less elitist and more like a modern fairy tale. Mette-Marit grew into her role, winning over critics and earning the public’s acceptance and respect.
But times have changed. This year, several humanitarian and cultural organizations that the crown princess once supported have cut ties with her. What used to be seen as a great honor is now a potential risk. Online, the mood has turned toxic. People accuse the crown princess of being complicit in both Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes and those of her son, dismiss her health issues as a PR stunt, or insist she must have received her lung transplant so quickly at the expense of an ordinary person. There’s no evidence for these claims, but the palace’s misleading initial statements and ongoing lack of transparency have created a perfect environment for conspiracy theories.
Read more: The Jeffrey Epstein files have shattered Norway’s illusions about itself, by Sindre Bangstad
Despite all this, Norway won’t be getting a president anytime soon. The few republicans in parliament, mostly on the left, regularly propose abolishing the monarchy. They do so on principle, but the outcome is always the same: this year, the proposal got 26 votes, with 141 against.
Even now, two out of three Norwegians still support the monarchy, but its unshakable position is gone. Its reputation as being “of the people” may never recover in an age of anti-elitist populism. Associating with Epstein reminded many that the royal family, no matter how carefully they cultivated an image of ordinariness, belongs to a global elite.
Norwegians sincerely hope Mette-Marit recovers well. Whether her health will ever allow a full return to public life remains uncertain. But while the Epstein issue is “on pause,” the palace still faces the task of rebuilding trust after such serious missteps—there are many unanswered questions.
In a March poll, almost half of those surveyed saw Mette-Marit as unfit to become queen. The mood may have shifted since then. But unlike in 1905, the public won’t be consulted on that, because a monarchy follows the old logic of bloodlines, not democracy. Still, the legitimacy of Norway’s royal family rests less on constitutional law than on public trust and affection. Once lost, these qualities are hard to regain.
Magnus Nome, based in Oslo, is a journalist, writer, and co-creator of award-winning TV series in Norway.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about Norways monarchy addressing both its fairytale image and recent controversies
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 Why did people used to call Norways monarchy a fairytale
Because the story of King Harald and Queen Sonjaa prince who married a commonerseemed like a modernday Cinderella story The royal family was also seen as downtoearth humble and deeply loved by the public
2 What recent crises are you talking about
The biggest crisis involves Marius Borg Hiby the son of Crown Princess MetteMarit He has been charged with multiple counts of assault and domestic violence This shattered the familys wholesome image and led to intense media scrutiny
3 Is the king in trouble Is the monarchy going to end
No King Harald V remains very popular and there is no serious political movement to abolish the monarchy However the scandals have damaged the familys reputation and sparked public debate about their role and accountability
4 What does the King of Norway actually do
He is the head of state but his role is mostly ceremonial and symbolic He opens parliament represents Norway abroad and acts as a unifying figure He does not make political decisions
5 Does Norway pay for the royal family
Yes The monarchy is funded by the state through a yearly budget to cover official duties staff and maintenance of royal properties The exact amount is public and debated in parliament
AdvancedLevel Questions
6 How has the Marius Borg Hiby case specifically changed public perception
It shattered the fairytale narrative Previously the family was seen as immune to scandal Now people see them as a family dealing with serious personal problems and there is growing criticism that the monarchy has failed to be transparent or accountable for the actions of its members
7 Is the Crown Princess MetteMarit being criticized for her sons actions
Indirectly yes While the public feels sympathy for her there is intense scrutiny on how she and the Crown Prince handled Mariuss behavior over the years Critics ask if the palace protected him or enabled him due to his royal status
