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Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit said connected Friday (March 20, 2026) she regretted her relationship with the precocious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, seeking to incorporate 1 of the biggest scandals to deed the country's royal family.
The U.S. Justice Department's merchandise of millions of Epstein documents has sent shockwaves astir the world, revealing the disgraced financier's ties to salient people, including the crown princess and apical Norwegian politicians, concern executives and diplomats.
"I was manipulated and deceived," Mette Marit said successful an interrogation with nationalist broadcaster NRK. "Of course, I wish I had ne'er met him [Epstein]," she said. The files showed predominant connection betwixt Mette Marit and Epstein that occurred agelong aft helium pleaded blameworthy successful 2008 to soliciting an underage girl.
The 52-year-old crown princess, who apologised to King Harald and Queen Sonja successful a February 6 statement, has not been accused of immoderate transgression wrongdoing. While earlier media sum had shown that Mette Marit had links to Epstein, the caller documents showed a much extended relationship, triggering an antithetic rebuke by the Prime Minister and starring to demands that she should springiness a afloat account.
The princess, the spouse of Crown Prince Haakon, the heir to the throne, maintained interaction with Epstein from 2011 to 2014, and stayed astatine his Palm Beach location for 4 days during a backstage travel successful 2013, the U.S. files show.
"I've ne'er seen thing illegal," Mette-Marit told NRK connected Friday (March 20). The royal family's popularity has taken a deed successful caller months, a February survey of 1,009 respondents showed.
Some 60% of Norwegians supported the monarchy, down from 70% successful January, according to the Norstat canvass published connected February 21 by nationalist broadcaster NRK, portion 27% supported a republic, up from 19% implicit the aforesaid period.
