Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit issued a public apology on Friday for her relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, expressing regret for disappointing the public and placing the royal family in an embarrassing situation.
The 52-year-old future queen consort addressed the nation as newly released files from the U.S. Department of Justice revealed extensive contact between her and Epstein spanning from 2011 to 2013. The documents, which mentioned Mette-Marit over 1,000 times, contained scores of email exchanges that painted a picture of a closer relationship than previously acknowledged.
“I would like to express my deepest regret for my friendship with Jeffrey Epstein,” Mette-Marit said in her statement. “It is important for me to apologize to all of you that I have disappointed.”
The crown princess specifically apologized to King Harald V and Queen Sonja for the situation she created. She acknowledged that some of the content in her messages with Epstein does not represent the person she wants to be.
The newly released files exposed the nature of the correspondence between the Norwegian royal and Epstein, who killed himself in jail in 2019. In a 2012 email, Mette-Marit told Epstein that he tickles her brain. She also described him as very charming and such a sweetheart in other messages.
One particularly unusual exchange from 2012 showed Mette-Marit asking Epstein whether it was inappropriate for a mother to suggest wallpaper featuring two naked women carrying a surfboard for her 15-year-old son. The emails also included discussions about wife hunting in Paris.
According to the documents, Epstein described Mette-Marit as twisted in his own communications. The files showed she stayed at an Epstein-owned property in Palm Beach, Florida, for four days in 2013, though Epstein was not present during her stay.
The royal palace said Mette-Marit ended contact with Epstein in 2014 after she felt he was trying to use his relationship with the crown princess as leverage with other people.
The scandal erupted at an already difficult time for Norway’s royal family. Mette-Marit’s son, Marius Borg Høiby, appeared in Oslo District Court on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, for the start of a trial involving 38 charges against him, including four counts of rape. The 29-year-old has denied the most serious charges.
Crown Prince Haakon, the heir to the Norwegian throne and Mette-Marit’s husband, addressed the mounting pressures facing his family during an appearance for Sami National Day on Friday. He said he supports Marius in the situation and emphasized his commitment to looking after the crown princess.
“She showed poor judgment and I deeply regret having had any contact with Epstein,” Mette-Marit said in her statement. “It is simply embarrassing.”
The palace acknowledged Friday that Mette-Marit is in a very demanding situation and needs time to gather herself. Officials said the crown princess hopes to explain herself in more detail in the coming weeks but is currently unable to do so given the circumstances.
The Epstein documents represent one of several tranches of files released by U.S. authorities related to the financier’s criminal activities and extensive network of contacts among political, business and cultural elites.
Inclusion in the files does not imply wrongdoing by those mentioned, but the release has prompted several European figures to issue apologies or explanations. British politician Peter Mandelson and former Norwegian Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland are among those named in the documents facing scrutiny for their connections to Epstein.
The Norwegian royal family has generally enjoyed strong public support, but the dual crises of the Epstein revelations and Høiby’s trial have created unprecedented challenges. The palace emphasized that the crown princess strongly disavows Epstein’s abuse and criminal acts and is very sorry for not having understood early enough what kind of person he was.
Crown Prince Haakon’s comments on Friday reflected his attempt to balance multiple family priorities during this turbulent period. He told reporters that when there is a lot happening at once, as it has been for the family now, he is concerned about keeping priorities in the right order. He said the most important thing has been taking care of his family, supporting Marius, looking after the other children, and caring for the crown princess.
The revelations about Mette-Marit’s Epstein contacts have sparked debate in Norway about judgment and accountability within the royal family. The emails span a period when questions about Epstein’s activities had already emerged, raising concerns about why the relationship continued for several years.
Norwegian media coverage has focused extensively on the content of the emails, which portrayed a level of familiarity and affection between Mette-Marit and Epstein that went beyond formal or diplomatic correspondence. The tone of the messages has prompted particular attention and criticism.
The palace has not provided details about how Mette-Marit first met Epstein or what initially drew them into correspondence. The newly released files show contact beginning in 2011 and continuing through 2013, with the relationship ending in 2014 when she recognized he was attempting to leverage their connection.
As Norway processes these revelations, the royal family faces the challenge of maintaining public trust while dealing with private difficulties. The coming weeks will test whether Mette-Marit’s apology and promised fuller explanation can help repair the damage to her reputation and that of the monarchy.
Sources:
https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/882441/crown-princess-mette-marit-fresh-statement-epstein-backlash/
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/01/norway-crown-princess-contact-epstein-files-appear-to-show
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/norwegian-crown-princess-apologizes-to-those-disappointed-by-her-epstein-contacts
https://www.nbcnews.com/world/united-kingdom/epstein-emails-bring-scandal-europes-elite-norways-crown-princess-brit-rcna257198
https://www.tyla.com/news/royal-family/epstein-files-norway-princess-mette-marit-emails-response-659029-20260204