Crown Princess Mette Marit of Norway broke down in tears as she gave a detailed testimony addressing the extent of her friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.
The royal, 52, who is married to the future king, Crown Prince Haakon, had previously not been seen in public for over a month after she was mentioned multiple times in the latest release of Epstein files in January.
But on Thursday night, Mette-Marit broke her silence on the scandal in an emotional interview with Norwegian outlet NRK, telling press she had been “manipulated” and “deceived” by the convicted sex offender, adding that she didn’t know who he really was.
She said: “I honestly wish I had never met him. But at the same time, it’s very important to me to take responsibility for not checking his background more carefully, and for the fact that I was manipulated and deceived the way I was.
“But I think it’s important for me to make it clear that I’m not the one to feel sorry for in this situation – it’s all the victims who have been subjected to these serious abuses who deserve justice. And I feel a deep anger that they haven’t received that, and still haven’t.
During the interview, Mette-Marit appeared tearful, and her voice cracked on occasion. She added: “At the same time, it’s important for me to say that if I have done anything that contributed to giving him legitimacy in any way, then that is, of course, very difficult for me.“
The interview was limited to 20 minutes due to the Crown Princess’s health, and she was supported by Prince Haakon, who admitted he had known the extent of his wife’s friendship with Epstein.
Mette Marit’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein – details
In the interview, Mette-Marit said she and Epstein were first introduced in 2011 through mutual friends, becoming close friends over time. She did not specify who had introduced them, but said they worked in global health.
In emails released by the US Department of Justice in January, the Crown Princess was shown to have extensive contact with Epstein between 2011 and 2014. These included arranging trips and meetings, as well as references to “wife hunting”, which she now claims was just “banter” between friends, confirming that their relationship never “had a different character”.
© GettyShe also admitted to borrowing Epstein’s home in Palm Beach, Florida, for several days in January 2013, a “difficult” admission she has spent a lot of time “processing”. She did not pay for the stay, but did borrow his driving, adding that she never saw anything “illegal” there.
She declined to comment on emails showing she called the wedding of Grand Duke Guillaume and Grand Duchess Stephanie of Luxembourg “boring”.
Eventually, Mette-Marit said Epstein “behaved towards me in a way I didn’t like”, meaning she phoned Crown Prince Haakon. She said she chose to end contact with Epstein in 2014 after feeling manipulated and realising he wasn’t a good person.
She responded “I don’t know” to some of the questions, adding that her dealings with Epstein took place 15 years ago. However, she insisted: “I didn’t know he was a sex offender or an abuser.”
Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s health
The Crown Princess spoke about her health and being the mother of a young man in a “demanding situation”, referring to the ongoing trial against her son, Marius Borg Hoiby, who is facing 38 charges at Oslo District Court, including four counts of sexual assault. Hoiby denies the most serious allegations against him, and Mette and Haakon have been seen visiting him in jail on several occasions.
© Julian Parker – GettyMette-Marit was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018 and is set to undergo a lung transplant. It is understood she will not be taking part in an upcoming state visit with Belgium next week, again due to her health.
After the Epstein files were released in January, the Norwegian Palace said Mette was in a “demanding” situation and was taking time away due to her health, but added that she hoped to speak out in the near future.
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