Norwegian crown princess' son to remain in custody

Norway's Borgarting Court of Appeal ruled Wednesday that Marius Borg Hoiby, the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit, will remain in pretrial detention, overturning a lower court ruling that would have allowed his release, Norwegian public broadcaster NRK reported.

The court said there remained a "strong degree of probability" that Hoiby would commit new offenses if released.

The ruling came after prosecutors appealed an Oslo District Court decision earlier this week ordering his release.

Hoiby had sought release partly to spend time with his mother, whose chronic lung disease had recently worsened, and she was recently placed on a lung transplant waiting list.

The appeals court said Hoiby previously violated restraining orders despite being aware of the consequences and had continued to commit offenses despite the burden placed on his family and the royal household.

Judges also dismissed arguments that his mother's illness reduced the risk of reoffending, saying the issue was "not a question of will, but a question of ability, life patterns and risk factors."

Defense lawyer Ellen Holager Andenæs said the defense was "very, very disappointed" and was considering an appeal to Norway's Supreme Court.

Hoiby has been held in custody since February, facing 38 charges, including allegations of domestic violence and multiple rapes, which he denies.

He was ordered held in custody after being arrested on suspicion of assault, making threats with a knife and violating a restraining order.

The case has unfolded amid heightened scrutiny of the Norwegian royal family after documents released earlier this year revealed that Mette-Marit had maintained contact with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein for years and met him on multiple occasions.

She later expressed regret about the relationship, describing it as "simply embarrassing."