"I was no angel in that relationship," says Marius Borg Høiby as he takes his seat in the witness box on Tuesday afternoon, shortly after his former girlfriend testified about physical and psychological abuse.
In court, Høiby claims that several of the events described by Nora Haukland are exaggerated. He says he does not remember other incidents.
Hours earlier, the "bonus prince"'s voice echoed in the courtroom in an audio recording from his ex-girlfriend's phone, causing her to burst into tears in the witness stand.
"Shut up, you lying fucking whore," Høiby, son of Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit, was heard shouting in the recording.
Kicked in the back
29-year-old Haukland, who was with Marius Borg Høiby from 2022 to 2023, testified to strangulation, kicks and punches during the relationship.
"He hit me in the jaw and on the lip," she said, according to VG, about the assault that preceded the audio recording.
I just remember falling to the ground and curling up, then he kicked me in the back and kept screaming. (...) Then I picked up the phone and turned on the recording because... I don't know, it made me feel less alone.
All in all, Høiby abused her "four, five, six times," according to Haukland. She says she has difficulty remembering everything, stating that she repressed a lot.
"Maybe more times with a chokehold; it happened more often."
Appealed for rehab
The relationship was also characterized by psychological abuse, surveillance and controlling behavior, according to Haukland. In court, Høiby admitted that he was "jealous of himself" and did not like it when Haukland, who is an influencer, posted "slimly dressed" pictures on social media.
The ex-girlfriend told of a conversation with Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Haakon at the royal family's Skaugum estate outside Oslo, where Haukland lived with Høiby for a period.
I just break down and say: "Now you have to help him, can't you see that he needs help?"
According to Haukland, she tried to get the Crown Prince and Princess to get Høiby into rehab - but in vain.
29-year-old Marius Borg Høiby is on trial for a large number of crimes, including four counts of rape, which he denies. Nora Haukland is the only one of a total of seven plaintiffs in the case named by Norwegian media.
Marius Borg Høiby, born in 1997, is the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway and Morten Borg. Mette-Marit married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001.
The "Bonus Prince" is charged with 38 crimes, including domestic violence and four counts of rape. The rapes, according to the prosecutor, took place while the victims were sleeping.
Høiby has admitted to certain crimes, but denies the rape allegations.
The trial began on February 3 and is expected to last at least six weeks. Høiby faces up to 16 years in prison.
