Mette-Marit and Epstein link: Norway's Crown Princess issues apology after embarrassment to Royal family

Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit has apologized for her ties to Jeffrey Epstein after new documents revealed her stay at his Palm Beach residence.

Published on: Feb 07, 2026 11:54 PM IST

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Norway's Crown Princess has made a heartfelt apology regarding her associations with Jeffrey Epstein, following the release of new documents that disclosed her stay at the financier's Palm Beach residence.

Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit issued a second apology regarding her connections with Jeffrey Epstein, acknowledging poor judgment and the impact on her family's reputation amid legal troubles involving her son. (REUTERS)

Mette-Marit expressed that the content of the messages exchanged between her and Epstein “does not represent the person I want to be”, and she extended her apologies to all those she has “let down”.

The documents related to Epstein included numerous references to the crown princess, who stated in 2019 that she regretted her interactions with Epstein, Daily Mail reported, citing Norwegian media.

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Royal Palace, Oslo issues statement

The palace released a statement from the crown princess, in which she expressed her profound remorse regarding her previous friendship with Epstein.

“It is important for me to apologize to all of you whom I have disappointed. Some of the content of the messages between Epstein and me does not represent the person I want to be," the palace stated.

“I also apologize for the situation I have put the Royal Family in, especially the King and Queen."

This represents the second apology made by Mette-Marit within a week, following her statement released after the files were published, in which she expressed that she had “shown poor judgment” and lamented any interactions with Epstein.

Mette-Marit's ties with Epstein

Mette-Marit's communications and ties with Epstein have drawn significant attention over the last week, further intensifying the embarrassment for the royal family, coinciding with her son's trial in Oslo for various offenses, including allegations of rape.

The recently disclosed documents feature email correspondences suggesting that Mette-Marit used a property owned by Epstein in Palm Beach, Florida, for a number of days in 2013.

Mette-Marit's family

King Harald, 88, along with the royal family, enjoys considerable popularity in Norway. However, the legal issues surrounding Mette-Marit's son, Marius Borg Høiby, have posed a challenge to the family's reputation since 2024, and the recent Epstein documents have exacerbated this situation.

Mette-Marit is wed to Crown Prince Haakon, who is the successor to the throne.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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