The future of the Norwegian monarchy is in question
Serious conflicts have arisen again around the Norwegian royal family. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
The trial of Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit, wife of the heir to the throne, Crown Prince Haakon, has begun. Marius, 28, who was arrested by Oslo police on February 1, is accused of a number of serious crimes, including sexual assault and inflicting bodily harm.
These incidents have sparked heated debates in the country about the future of the monarchy's governance. Although Marius Høiby is the illegitimate son of the Norwegian heir, he is not officially recognized as a member of the royal family.
Nevertheless, his actions are damaging the reputation of the royal family. Initially, he was charged with 32 counts, but later this list was expanded.
Among the victims are well-known individuals, including television star Nora Haukland. Additionally, Marius has previously been punished for possession of narcotics, and traces of cocaine and marijuana were found in his blood during his latest arrest.
In court, he denied the charges related to sexual assault. Other scandals within the royal family are also attracting attention.
Documents released in the United States regarding the Jeffrey Epstein case revealed Mette-Marit's connections with this individual. The princess was found to have spoken highly of Epstein and sought advice from him regarding matters concerning her son Marius.
Later, Mette-Marit described these connections as a grave mistake and apologized. Against this backdrop, the future of the monarchy remains uncertain.
Mette-Marit is suffering from pulmonary fibrosis and may require a lung transplant in the near future. At the same time, the number of citizens supporting the monarchy is decreasing year by year.
In 2017, 81% of the population supported the monarchy, but today this figure has dropped to 61%. The issue of transitioning to a republican system is also being discussed in the Norwegian parliament.
However, the majority of deputies still favor maintaining the monarchy. Even so, personal mistakes and scandals within the royal family are seriously damaging public trust.
Calls to abandon monarchical rule are growing stronger.
