Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Noruega has broken her silence of several weeks, addressing the extent of her contacts with the late American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In an emotional interview on national television, the princess expressed deep regret and the feeling of having been deceived, reigniting public debate about the royal conduct and vigilance in her personal relationships.
The statement followed the release of thousands of Departamento files from Justiça in the US at the end of January, which revealed a series of emails exchanged between the princess and Epstein. The breadth of contacts, which spanned from 2011 to 2014 and included a stay at Epstein’s property in Flórida, generated intense scrutiny at Noruega and internationally.
The Crown Princess emphasized that, at the time of the contacts, she was not aware of the extent of Epstein’s criminal activities. The interview, recorded at a time of great public pressure, was an attempt to clarify her position and take responsibility for a judgment that, according to her, was “wrong”.
Clarifications on contacts and public repentance
During the 20-minute interview, which often saw her on the verge of tears, Mette-Marit expressed a sincere wish that she had never met Jeffrey Epstein. “I feel so manipulated, and when you are manipulated, you don’t realize it from the beginning,” she told public broadcaster NRK, highlighting the complexity of her experience.
She admitted that it is “extremely important of me to take responsibility for not checking his background more carefully.” The crown princess added that she deeply regretted being “as manipulated and deceived as I was”, a confession that resonates with discussions about the vulnerability of public figures.
Previously, Mette-Marit had already publicly apologized and acknowledged her “error in judgement” when the closeness of her connection with Epstein came to light. The revelation of hundreds of emails between 2011 and 2014, in addition to a stay at Epstein’s house at Flórida (in his absence), generated a wave of questions about the prudence of the royal family.
She reiterated that she wished she “never met him”, emphasizing the importance that the victims of Epstein receive the justice they deserve. The princess expressed palpable anger at the fact that this justice has not yet been fully achieved for those who have suffered serious abuse.
Public pressure and unanswered questions
Mette-Marit’s decision to speak out publicly was the result of intense scrutiny and pressure from several sectors, including Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. The expectation was for a more detailed explanation about the nature of her contacts with Epstein and what she really knew about him.
However, the interview revealed few new details, and some of his responses were perceived as defensive. For example, in 2011, three years after Epstein was arrested for child solicitation, she wrote: “I looked you up on Google after your last email. Concordo, the situation didn’t look good.”
Despite this, sitting next to her husband, Crown Prince Haakon, Mette-Marit insisted she “didn’t know he was a sex offender or a predator.” The reporter pointed out that an Wikipédia article from the time already made it clear that Epstein was a convicted abuser, to which she responded: “I don’t remember that; it’s been 15 years.”
The royal family correspondent for the website Nettavisen, Tove Taalesen, commented that the interview raised more questions than it answered. “Something must have happened and she didn’t want to tell us,” Taalesen told the press, suggesting that the princess missed an opportunity to be more transparent.
Uncomfortable experience and overconfidence
The Crown Princess described an “uncomfortable” incident that occurred during her stay at Epstein’s house on Flórida in 2013. Ela reported having called her husband after the episode, expressing her discomfort with the situation.
“I still didn’t know anything about all the abuse. But I already understood enough to think he was a bad person who people shouldn’t have contact with,” she told NRK. Mette-Marit also revealed that she witnessed up close how Epstein “blackmailed other people”, something that left her deeply disturbed.
She regretted not sharing this realization with more people at the time, acknowledging that she should have. Quando was asked why neither the palace nor Ministério of Relações Exteriores were aware of her connection with Epstein, she classified him as a “private contact”, arguing that she did not disclose all her personal contacts.
The stay at Epstein’s house in Palm Beach in 2013, according to Mette-Marit, was arranged by a mutual acquaintance, whose name was not publicly revealed. “Epstein was a close friend of a good friend of mine,” he explained, justifying the initial connection.
The Crown Princess mentioned a “situation” that made her uncomfortable on the last day of her stay, but refused to elaborate on what happened, reiterating only that she called Crown Prince Haakon about it. The prince confirmed to the interviewer that he remembered well his wife’s call and the insecurity she conveyed.
Despite the incident, Mette-Marit remained in contact with Epstein for a period afterwards. “I’m overly confident, I tend to think the best of people,” he confessed. “But I also chose to end all direct contact with him. And it was because of episodes like this,” he explained, indicating that the series of events led to the breakdown of the relationship.
Health challenges and the perception of the real role
The interview was recorded on Thursday, the last day of the rape trial of her son, Marius Borg Høiby, which began in early February, shortly after the release of Epstein’s files involving Mette-Marit. The trial verdict had not yet been delivered, suggesting that the princess waited for this moment to speak out publicly.
Mette-Marit’s connection to Epstein was already known in 2019 when she expressed regret, but the full extent of the relationship only became clear with the files. In the interview with NRK, the princess justified her reservation about the details of the friendship by claiming the need for a private life, even though she lives in the spotlight.
For historian and TV2 correspondent specializing in the royal family, Ole-Jørgen Schulsrud-Hansen, this priority to privacy over the institution of the royal family reveals a “perception of their role that is not compatible with the institution”. Ele warned that, if the situation is not changed, “this will happen again”.
The 52-year-old crown princess, who suffers from pulmonary fibrosis, was also asked about her motivation for staying in the royal role. The recent revelations have raised doubts among many Norwegians about her ability to become queen when Crown Prince Haakon ascends the throne.
Mette-Marit made it clear that his continued role depends directly on his health. “I live with a serious illness,” she said. “That’s precisely what determines whether or not I can continue to perform the role I perform.”
“I would very much like to support you in this project, if I have the opportunity, considering my health,” he concluded, referring to Crown Prince Haakon. Her husband, in turn, reinforced the couple’s commitment: “After all, this is our project, which we are carrying out together”, demonstrating unity in the face of challenges. Alguns analysts, such as
