29-year-old Marius was found guilty of several serious crimes and is currently under electronic monitoring. On Monday, August 31, he participated in a ceremony at the Royal Palace in Oslo.
However, M. Hoiby’s appearance attracted special attention because he not only joined the family ceremony but also helped carry the coffin of the late monarch, which sparked fierce reactions.
King Harald V’s coffin was moved from the Red Hall to the palace chapel at the Royal Palace in Oslo ahead of the state funeral on September 9.
The procession included his son, King Haakon, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Prince Sverre Magnus, Princess Märtha Louise, and her three daughters.
M. Hoiby, son of Queen Mette-Marit, also joined the procession and walked at the back of the group carrying the late king’s coffin.
His appearance immediately drew attention because he is currently under electronic monitoring at Skaugum estate while appealing his four-year prison sentence.
Critics wondered why he was given such an important ceremonial role.
“The decision to include Marius Borg Hoiby in such an important role during King Harald’s coffin ceremony is quite crazy,” one critic wrote.
The commentator explained why this decision seemed particularly problematic to him: “Marius was convicted… He is violent towards women… good monarchs can distinguish what should be considered a dynastic matter and what is a family matter. There are so many possibilities that such an image in the near or even distant future could have terrible consequences.”
Another person stated: “I think this looks very bad. Now I find every member of this family disgusting.”
However, Hoiby’s appearance at the palace was not an arbitrary violation of his imposed restrictions.
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Prosecutors granted him temporary permission to leave electronic monitoring and participate in the coffin procession despite the ongoing legal proceedings.
The widely publicized trial took place from February 3 to March 19 this year. Marius denied some of the most serious of the 40 charges against him, including four counts of rape and one count of domestic violence.
However, he pleaded guilty to several lesser offenses, including traffic violations – speeding and driving without a valid license, a more serious drug-related offense involving marijuana transportation, as well as violating a court-imposed restraining order against approaching the victim.
Before the final verdict was announced, Marius reportedly partially admitted guilt for aggravated assault and reckless behavior under a specific procedure provided by Norwegian law.
The 29-year-old man was sentenced in June this year to four years in prison when the Oslo District Court found him guilty of two rapes, domestic violence against a former girlfriend, aggravated assault, threats, as well as several drug- and traffic-related offenses.
Importantly, he was acquitted of two other rape charges. Reportedly, he appealed the verdict, and the prosecution also appealed the sentence imposed on him.
Currently, Marius is under electronic monitoring at Skaugum estate, the official residence of King Haakon and Queen Mette-Marit.
This means that he is not currently serving the four-year sentence in a regular prison, but strict supervision conditions apply during the appeal process.
Authorities also approved his request to participate in the state funeral of King Harald on September 9, so the palace ceremony should not be his only appearance to say goodbye to a member of the royal family.
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